A  TEXAS  PIONEER 


N- 


A  TEXAS  PIONEER 


EARLY  STAGING  AND  OVERLAND 
FREIGHTING  DAYS  ON  THE  FRON- 
TIERS OF  TEXAS  AND  MEXICO 


BY 
AUGUST  SANTLEBEN 


Edited  by 
I.  D.  AFFLECK 


NEW  YORK  AND  WASHINGTON 

THE  NEALE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

1910 


COPYRIGHT,  1910,  BY 
THE  NEALE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


A  TEXAS  PIONEER 


CHAPTER    I 

I  WAS  born  in  the  city  of  Hanover,  Germany,  on  the 
28th  day  of  February,  1845,  and  I  was  three  and  a  half 
months  old  when  my  parents  emigrated  from  that  coun- 
try and  brought  me  with  a  sister  and  brother  to  America. 
We  made  the  voyage  in  a  sailing  vessel,  the  Charles  Wil- 
Uams,  which  left  Bremen  with  a  full  crew  and  one  hundred 
and  thirty  passengers  on  board.  The  city  of  Galveston, 
Texas,  was  sighted  about  the  middle  of  July,  184*5,  after 
making  a  safe  voyage  of  seven  weeks'  duration,  but  many 
of  those  who  greeted  the  land  of  their  adoption  with  joy- 
ful expectations  were  destined  to  a  watery  grave  when  en- 
tering the  harbor. 

I  do  not  know  what  brought  about  the  catastrophe, 
but  my  parents,  who  gave  me  this  information,  said  that 
the  ship  was  stranded  when  passing  through  the  channel 
leading  into  Galveston  Bay,  about  half  a  mile  from 
shore,  where  it  was  broken  to  pieces,  and  the  wreck  could 
be  seen  as  late  as  1885.  Only  thirty-five  of  the  pas- 
sengers were  saved,  and  they  were  rescued  by  a  life-boat 
that  was  sent  from  the  shore.  Among  them  was  an  infant 
boy,  about  two  years  of  age,  who  was  thrown  to  my  par- 
ents after  they  entered  the  boat,  by  some  one  on  the 
vessel,  under  the  impression  that  the  child  belonged  to 
our  family.  Fortunately  the  boat  conveyed  its  living 
freight  safely  to  land,  but  none  of  the  desolate  people 
could  comprehend  their  losses  until  they  congregated  on 
shore,  and  one  of  those  who  realized  them  least  was  the 
author  of  these  memoirs,  who  at  the  age  of  five  months 
was  thus  transferred  from  the  wreck  of  a  ship  and  placed 
on  the  soil  of  Texas.  Another  was  the  child  who  had 
been  saved  through  a  mistake,  whose  parents  and  his  en- 


6  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

tire  family  were  drowned;  but  friends  took  the  orphan  in 
charge  and  conveyed  him  to  Castroville,  where  he  was 
raised  to  manhood  by  a  man  named  Bader,  who  was  per- 
haps a  friend  of  his  family.  Christian  Schuhart  was  his 
name,  and  he  is  now  a  well-to-do  farmer  and  ranchman  on 
the  San  Geronimo,  where  I  became  intimate  with  him 
and  we  often  discussed  the  early  misfortunes  of  our 
families. 

The  ship's  cargo,  including  all  the  belongings  of  the 
passengers,  was  a  total  loss.  The  disaster  fell  heavily 
on  the  emigrants  who  had  supplied  themselves  with  wag- 
ons, farm  implements  and  other  necessaries  in  Germany, 
with  the  expectation  of  using  them  in  the  New  World, 
where  their  lot  had  been  cast.  All  were  alike  destitute  of 
everything  except  the  clothing  they  wore,  but,  perhaps, 
a  few  had  saved  small  amounts  of  money  that  was  carried 
on  their  persons,  and  they  were  thrown  on  the  charity 
of  strangers.  Although  their  pressing  wants  were  sup- 
plied by  subscriptions,  there  was  no  extravagant  display 
of  generosity,  and  a  long  time  passed  away  before  the 
effects  of  the  calamity  ceased  to  be  felt. 

My  father  secured  passage,  with  others  of  the  unfor- 
tunate emigrants,  for  his  family  on  a  schooner  and  sailed 
for  Port  Lavaca,  where  after  his  arrival  he  arranged  with 
Plasedo  Olivarri,  a  Mexican,  to  transport  his  wife  and 
children,  and  the  few  things  he  possessed,  to  the  Medina 
River,  eight  miles  above  Castroville.  There  land  was  as- 
signed for  my  father's  use  in  the  "  Castro  Corner,"  but 
it  was  unimproved,  and  as  the  country  was  unsettled,  we 
were  compelled  to  live  under  the  canopy  of  heaven,  ex- 
posed to  all  kinds  of  weather,  until  a  suitable  shelter  could 
be  erected. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  from  where  we  settled 
was  a  camp  of  Lipan  Indians,  who  were  then  friendly 
with  the  whites,  and  when  they  visited  us,  my  parents 
would  sometimes  allow  the  two  elder  children  to  return 
with  them  to  their  settlement.  They  were  very  generous, 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  7 

and  they  supplied  our  family  with  game  all  the  time  they 
lived  in  our  vicinity.  Later  on  the  Indians  moved  else- 
where and  immediately,  I  believe  it  was  in  184*7,  they 
went  on  the  war-path.  Thereafter  they  and  all  the  Texas 
Indians  depredated  on  the  white  settlements  continuously 
until  1878,  during  which  time  many  of  my  acquaintances 
and  some  of  my  dear  friends  were  killed  by  them.  I  have 
endeavored  to  recall  all  the  names  of  those  who  were  killed 
by  the  hostiles  during  that  period,  in  connection  with 
the  time  and  place  of  the  murders,  which  will  be  presented 
elsewhere. 

The  first  work  my  father  did,  after  he  became  settled, 
was  for  Mr.  Castro,  who  employed  him  and  Mr.  Huehner, 
the  grandfather  of  Albert  Huth,  Bexar  County's  present 
Tax  Assessor,  to  dig  a  ditch  on  the  east  side  of  "  Castro's 
Corner,"  for  which  he  agreed  to  pay  each  of  them  fifty 
cents  per  day.  The  ditch  was  eight  feet  wide  and  eight 
feet  deep  and  it  took  them  four  months  to  complete  the 
job.  After  the  ditch  was  finished  Castro  leased  a  piece 
of  land  in  the  Corner  to  my  father  for  three  years,  free 
of  charge,  except  that  he  was  to  put  it  in  cultivation. 

After  that  he  engaged  in  farming,  but  he  also  made 
a  pit  for  the  purpose  of  sawing  lumber  with  a  whip-saw 
and  at  odd  times  he  cut  cypress  trees  along  the  banks  of 
the  Medina  River  and  turned  them  into  lumber  and 
shingles.  Such  work  was  very  laborious,  and  as  two  men 
were  required  to  run  the  saw  he  was  only  occasionally 
employed  at  it  because  he  could  not  always  hire  help.  By 
hard  toil  he  managed  to  support  his  family  with  the 
necessaries  of  life  without  any  of  the  luxuries.  My 
parents  were  affectionate  and  considerate  in  the  treatment 
of  their  children  and  tried  to  raise  them  properly.  They 
were  also  strictly  religious,  and  they  often  tried  to  im- 
press upon  the  minds  of  their  offspring  the  importance  of 
thinking  and  acting  in  accordance  with  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments so  that  they  would  not  come  in  conflict  with 
the  laws  of  their  country. 


8  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

They  were  well  known  throughout  west  Texas  and  had 
many  friends  on  account  of  their  conscientiousness  and 
kind-heartedness.  My  father  was  strongly  impressed  by 
the  obligations  and  duties  of  his  citizenship,  and  as  he 
had  come  to  the  United  States  on  account  of  its  free  in- 
stitutions, he  did  not  delay,  after  the  expiration  of  five 
years,  in  taking  out  his  naturalization  papers  which  were 
secured  in  July,  1850. 

He  resided  on  the  land  he  first  settled  until  1854,  and 
then  removed  to  a  tract  which  he  purchased  from  Samuel 
Etter,  the  father  of  Jacob  and  Samuel  Etter,  Jr.,  both 
of  whom  are  now  substantial  farmers  and  live  on  Sous 
Creek,  four  miles  east  of  Castro ville,  adjoining  the  farm 
bought  by  my  father,  which  was  then  situated  in  Bexar 
County  on  the  Eagle  Pass  and  El  Paso  road.  In  a  few 
years  the  farm  was  nicely  improved  by  hard  work,  and 
as  the  land  was  productive  he  made  good  crops,  at  the 
same  time  gathering  around  him  a  small  number  of  horses 
and  cattle,  so  that  he  was  able  to  live  more  comfortably. 

Free  pasturage  was  abundant,  and  as  there  was  no  ex- 
pense attached  to  stock  raising  every  farmer  had  a  few 
animals,  but  many  owned  a  thousand  or  more  cattle,  be- 
sides small  herds  of  horses.  The  latter  were  not  numer- 
ous, because  of  the  risk  of  having  them  stolen  by  Indians. 
Big-foot  Wallace  owned  the  largest  number  in  that  re- 
gion which  were  principally  on  Mustang  Prairie,  four 
miles  below  La  Coste  station,  but  the  Indians  succeeded 
in  stealing  them  all  eventually  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  he  kept  a  constant  watch  over  them  and  often  pun- 
ished them  severely  for  their  thefts. 

My  childhood  years  were  passed  happily  and  I  had 
a  good  and  easy  time,  although  I  helped  my  father  all 
I  could  on  the  farm  in  light  work  or  in  making  myself 
useful  in  many  ways,  but  I  never  fancied  farming  very 
much.  When  I  was  not  more  than  eight  years  old  I 
would  occasionally  help  him  saw  lumber  when  he  could 
get  no  one  else  to  assist  him,  because,  as  I  have  stated, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  9 

it  required  two  persons  to  perform  such  work  with  a  whip- 
saw — one  above  and  another  in  the  pit  below. 

My  first  visit  to  San  Antonio  was  made  with  my  father 
in  1854,  and  it  was  on  this  occasion  that  I  was  made 
happy  by  the  wonderful  things  I  saw  in  the  city  which 
filled  my  childish  mind  with  astonishment.  The  business 
portion  of  the  town  was  then  confined  to  the  two  plazas, 
and  most  of  the  improvements  were  in  that  vicinity.  I 
suppose  the  population  at  that  time  was  not  more  than 
3000  of  all  classes. 

My  next  trip  away  from  home  was  when  I  accom- 
panied my  father  to  Fort  Inge  on  his  wagon  that  was 
loaded  with  corn  which  he  sold  to  the  government.  It 
was  a  part  of  a  certain  quantity  he  had  contracted  to 
deliver,  at  40c.  and  50c.  per  bushel,  as  forage  for  a  com- 
pany of  dragoons  that  was  then  stationed  at  said  fort, 
four  miles  below  the  present  town  of  Uvalde,  and  another 
detachment  at  Fort  Ewell  on  the  Laredo  road,  both  of 
which  have  been  abandoned  many  years.  All  the  men  in 
these  companies  were  splendidly  mounted  on  the  best 
horses  that  Missouri  could  furnish.  Their  saddles  were 
the  old  government  pattern,  with  solid  brass  stirrups 
weighing  two  pounds,  and  all  the  mountings  were  of  the 
same  metal.  Every  soldier  was  armed  with  two  holster 
pistols,  each  with  a  single  barrel,  and  a  Mississippi  yager, 
both  of  the  same  caliber,  therefore  they  used  the  same 
fixed  cartridges  loaded  with  a  ball  and  three  buckshot.  I 
was  only  nine  years  of  age,  but  I  took  notice  of  every- 
thing as  they  were  the  first  soldiers  I  had  ever  seen ;  there 
I  ate  my  first  hard-tack,  and  there  I  saw  the  first  playing 
cards.  While  my  father  was  unloading  the  corn,  I 
busied  myself  gathering  the  cards  that  were  scattered 
around  the  camp.  Until  then  I  had  never  seen  painted 
pictures  of  any  kind,  and  I  thought  the  cards  were  the 
prettiest  things  my  eyes  had  ever  gazed  upon. 

About  that  date  my  father  hired  Paul  Offinger  to  help 
him  on  the  farm  and  he  worked  for  him  three  years,  in 


10  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

which  time  he  saved  up  enough  money  to  buy  fifty  acres 
of  land  near  Quihi,  eleven  miles  west  of  Castroville. 
When  he  moved  on  his  place  he  had  no  one  to  assist  him 
and  my  father  hired  me  to  him  to  drive  his  oxen  when 
plowing  or  hauling  for  $5.00  per  month  and  my  board.  I 
remained  with  him  four  months,  and  though  only  twelve 
years  of  age,  my  duties  were  performed  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  my  employer. 

In  those  days  oxen  were  the  only  animals  that  were 
used  on  farms  on  the  western  frontier  for  draft  purposes, 
partly  because  the  original  outlay  and  cost  of  keeping 
them  was  less  than  for  horses,  and  another  reason  was  the 
risk  of  losing  them  on  account  of  Indians  who  were  al- 
ways stealing  horses.  The  oxen  were  always  necked 
together,  and  after  a  day's  work  the  yoke  was  removed, 
a  bell  was  suspended  to  one  of  their  necks,  and  they  were 
turned  out  on  the  range  until  wanted,  when  the  tinkling 
bell  indicated  their  whereabouts. 

Generally  I  found  it  prosy  business  wandering  through 
the  mesquite  bushes  in  search  of  my  oxen,  but  one  foggy 
morning  I  had  an  exciting  experience  when  I  saw  a 
panther  in  my  path  feasting  on  a  calf  he  had  killed.  He 
was  only  a  few  feet  in  front  of  me,  but  he  was  so  intent 
on  satisfying  his  hunger  that  he  only  looked  at  me  with- 
out rising.  I,  on  the  contrary,  was  very  much  startled, 
but  a  spell  of  fascination  crept  over  me  which  kept  my 
eyes  fixed  on  him  as  I  slowly  backed  from  his  presence  a 
few  steps  before  turning,  and  then  I  ran  towards  home  at 
the  top  of  my  speed.  I  was  bare-footed,  as  was  usual 
with  country  boys  in  those  days,  who  only  wore  shoes  on 
Sundays,  and  my  toes  clawed  the  ground  and  helped  me 
along.  I  was  making  pretty  good  time  when  I  stepped 
on  a  large  rattlesnake  that  was  coiled  in  my  path,  which 
filled  me  with  horror,  but  before  he  could  strike  I  made 
a  frantic  leap  in  the  air  and  landed  beyond  his  reach. 
The  accident  caused  my  fear  of  the  panther  to  subside 
and  reduced  my  gait  to  a  walk.  But  these  adventures 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  11 

did  not  make  me  abandon  my  search,  which  I  continued, 
though  with  greater  caution,  until  the  musical  ox-bell  in 
the  distance  guided  me  to  the  animals  I  was  seeking  and 
I  drove  them  home. 

On  another  occasion  Mr.  Offinger  went  out  hunting  one 
Sabbath  morning,  and  he  allowed  me  to  accompany  him. 
He  carried  an  old-fashioned  army  musket,  which  was 
loaded  with  the  only  charge  of  buckshot  that  he  had, 
and  I  was  unarmed.  On  the  east  side  of  Quihi  prairie  we 
suddenly  found  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  a  herd  of  about 
twenty-five  javelinas,  or  Mexican  hogs,  that  were  feed- 
ing in  a  thicket  of  scrubby  live-oak.  When  they  saw  us 
all  of  them  bunched  together  with  their  heads  towards  us 
while  their  teeth  clashed  in  a  threatening  and  vicious 
manner  until  Mr.  Offinger  fired  into  the  bunch.  As  the 
gun  fired  they  rushed  towards  him  and  they  moved  so 
quickly  that  he  only  had  time  to  climb  a  small  tree  be- 
yond their  reach.  I  was  standing  about  twenty  steps 
behind  him  and  knowing  the  danger  I  followed  his  ex- 
ample, but  as  Mr.  Offinger  was  the  aggressor  he  received 
all  of  their  attention.  He  wanted  me  to  descend  from 
my  sheltered  position  and  gather  rocks  with  which  to 
drive  them  away,  but  I  was  afraid,  consequently  we  re- 
mained in  our  place  of  refuge  until  they  disappeared  an 
hour  later. 

The  Mexican  or  musk  hog,  which  is  common  in  many 
sections  of  west  Texas,  has  a  sack  on  its  back  that  con- 
tains a  secretion  which  has  a  strong  odor.  They  are 
aggressive,  often  attacking  persons  without  provocation, 
and  when  wounded  they  are  dangerous.  Their  long, 
sharp  tusks  cut  like  a  knife  and  it  is  difficult  to  avoid 
them  when  on  foot  because  of  their  quick  movements  and 
manner  of  fighting. 

During  the  time  I  served  Mr.  Offinger  I  had  many  hours 
of  recreation  and  my  tasks  were  never  heavy.  My  per- 
sonal expenditures  amounted  to  only  twenty-five  cents 
a  month,  that  went  for  candy  which  I  bought  at  Mr. 


12  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Bailey's  store  in  Quihi,  and  frequently  my  friend  and  play- 
mate, Frank  Rieden,  now  living  in  San  Antonio,  helped 
me  to  eat  it.  My  wages  were  well  earned,  and  when  I  re- 
ceived the  nineteen  dollars  that  was  due  me  I  returned 
home  with  the  money  and  placed  it  in  my  father's  hand 
with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 

Mr.  Bowles  was  another  old  friend  of  my  father's  who 
lived  at  Sabinal,  in  1856,  and  I  remember  the  old  double- 
barrel  shot-gun  he  showed  my  father  soon  after  killing 
three  Indians  with  it  by  discharging  both  barrels  at  the 
same  instant.  The  gun  was  then  out  of  order,  and  he 
was  taking  it  to  San  Antonio  to  have  it  repaired. 

The  particulars  of  the  killing,  as  Mr.  Bowles  related 
them  to  my  father,  are  about  as  follows :  The  Indians 
had  made  a  raid  into  the  settlements,  and  after  the  fact 
became  generally  known,  every  one  was  on  the  watch 
for  them.  Mr.  Bowles  loaded  his  gun  very  heavily  with 
buck-shot  and  took  a  position  after  dark  on  an  elevation 
near  his  house,  where  he  stood  guard.  He  had  only 
waited  a  short  time  when  he  saw  three  Indians  approach 
on  foot,  following  each  other  in  single  file  along  a  foot 
trail.  After  bringing  his  weapon  to  his  shoulder  he 
waited  until  they  were  in  close  range  and  then  fired  both 
loads  simultaneously.  The  recoil  of  the  gun  threw 
him  on  his  back  and  it  flew  out  of  his  hands  behind  him. 
After  recovering  from  the  shock  the  Indians  had  disap- 
peared, and  he  made  an  investigation  with  the  result  that 
one  Indian  was  found  dead  in  his  tracks  and  another 
where  he  fell  a  short  distance  beyond.  The  search  was 
continued  next  morning  along  a  bloody  trail,  and  after 
following  it  about  three  hundrd  yards,  the  corpse  of  the 
third  Indian  was  found. 

This  remarkably  successful  shot  has  never  been  re- 
corded, or  if  it  has  I  am  unaware  of  the  fact,  but  the 
tragic  act  is  well  known  to  others  now  living  who  will 
vouch  for  the  truth  of  my  story.  Perhaps  they  know 
more  of  the  circumstances  than  I  can  recall,  because  Mr. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  13 

Bowles  has  many  relatives  living  in  Uvalde  County.  He 
was  killed  by  Indians  in  the  Sabinal  Canon  about  two 
years  after  his  adventure,  probably  by  the  same  tribe, 
who  murdered  him  to  avenge  the  slaughter  of  their 
warriors. 

There  is  no  comparison  between  the  number  of  Indians 
that  were  killed  by  white  men  that  I  know  of,  and  the 
number  of  white  men  that  were  killed  by  Indians. 

Mr.  John  Bowles  killed  three  Indians  in  Uvalde  County. 
Xavier  Wans  killed  one  Indian  and  mortally  wounded 
another  in  Medina  County.  Jack  Hoffmann  killed  two 
Indians  in  Medina  County.  An  Indian  was  killed  by  the 
first  settlers  at  Quihi  in  Medina  .County.  Nic  H'abe  killed 
an  Indian  in  Medina  County.  Ed.  Tschirheart  killed  an 
Indian  in  San  Saba  County,  near  Fort  McKavitt.  Big- 
foot  Wallace  killed  two  Indians  in  Medina  County.  All 
these  Indians  were  killed  by  men  with  whom  I  was  well 
acquainted. 

The  following  are  some  stories  about  Big-foot  Wallace : 

One  time  he  brought  a  fifteen-year-old  Indian  who  was 
probably  on  his  first  raid  and  got  lost  from  his  com- 
panions and  had  wandered  towards  Big-foot's  ranch  and 
came  in  contact  with  his  dogs  and  to  save  himself,  climbed 
a  tree.  Big-foot,  hearing  the  bark  of  his  dogs,  went 
at  once  to  see  what  kind  of  an  animal  they  had  treed,  and 
to  his  surprise  found  a  half  frightened  to  death  young 
warrior  with  his  bow  and  arrows  strapped  to  his  back, 
captured  him  and  put  him  on  his  horse  in  the  saddle  in 
front  of  him,  and  tied  his  feet  under  the  horse's  stomach 
and  carried  him  that  way  to  Castroville.  Some  one  in 
the  crowd  said,  "  Say,  Big-foot,  give  me  that  Indian." 
Whereupon  he  said,  "  No,  this  is  my  Indian ;  if  you  want 
an  Indian  go  an'  get  you  one,  there  are  plenty  of  them 
left." 

Another  story  that  I  recollect  well  happened  just  be- 
fore the  war,  where  Big-foot  was  out  horse-hunting  and 
riding  a  mule  when  he  came  upon  a  fresh  trail  that  was 


14  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

leading  in  a  northerly  direction  over  a  divide.  He  fol- 
lowed the  trail  to  find  out  if  the  Indians  took  the  same 
direction  on  the  other  side  of  the  divide,  in  which  case  it 
was  his  intention  to  hurry  on  to  Castroville,  where  he  ex- 
pected to  get  enough  men  to  cut  them  off  if  possible,  but 
as  he  reached  the  top  of  the  divide  and  looking  on  down 
the  slope  he  saw  to  his  surprise  about  twenty-five  Indians 
busy  catching  the  choicest  horses  out  of  the  herd  for 
their  saddle  horses.  Big-foot  saw  at  once  that  he  was 
out-numbered  and  unable  to  escape,  as  they  had  already 
seen  him,  whereupon  he  snatched  off  his  hat  and  waving 
it  back  towards  the  rear,  called  at  the  top  of  his  voice 
saying,  "  Come  on,  boys !  Come  on,  boys !  We  have  got 
them !  "  This  was  too  much  for  Mr.  Indian,  as  they  were 
unable  to  see  Big-foot's  imaginary  brigade,  so  they  all 
jumped  upon  their  horses  and  took  to  the  woods,  leaving 
their  stolen  animals,  which  Big-foot  afterwards  gathered 
with  ease  and  drove  back  into  the  range. 

Another  story  relates  that,  on  one  occasion,  Big-foot 
invited  several  cow-boys,  who  were  hunting  cattle,  to 
drink  coffee  with  him  and  when  they  accepted  his  invita- 
tion he  offered  it  to  them  in  an  Indian  skull. 

Another  anecdote  of  Big-foot's  early  days  was  when 
he  and  other  men  had  followed  the  Indians  and  over- 
took them  near  Bandera,  where  a  battle  took  place  and 
several  Indians  were  killed.  When  returning  home  ihey 
all  stopped  at  one  of  the  first  settlers'  houses  and  they 
were  invited  to  dinner.  While  they  were  eating  they  all 
boasted  about  their  good  marksmanship  and  how  many 
Indians  each  claimed  he  had  killed.  The  lady  of  the 
house  noticed  that  Big-foot  had  nothing  to  say,  and  she 
questioned  him,  saying,  "  Mr.  Wallace,  how  many  Indians 
did  you  kill?"  And  he  answered,  "None."  She  then 
asked,  "How  is  that?"  "Just  because  there  were  not 
enough  Indians  for  all  of  us,  and  according  to  the  stories 
that  you  have  heard,  there  were  none  left  for  me." 


CHAPTER    II 

MY  father  always  showed  a  strong  affection  for  me  and 
I  was  warmly  attached  to  him.  I  often  accompanied 
him  on  his  journeys  away  from  home,  and  I  am  inclined 
to  think  that  my  mischief-making  propensities  influenced 
him  to  remove  me  from  familiar  associations  when  he  took 
me  with  him.  He  made  frequent  trips  to  Port  Lavaca 
with  his  ox-wagon,  when  his  team  was  not  needed  on  the 
farm,  and  he  received  a  fair  compensation  for  hauling1 
freight  both  ways  between  that  point  and  San  Antonio. 
I  was  not  only  his  traveling  companion  on  such  occasions, 
but  I  made  myself  useful  by  driving  the  oxen  and  was 
able  to  do  many  things  that  were  appreciated. 

My  father  once  contracted  with  a  party  in  San  An- 
tonio to  haul  a  load  of  pine  lumber  from  a  mill  near 
Bastrop,  on  the  Colorado  River,  and  I  went  with  him. 
Bastrop  was  then  a  small  village  with  a  few  scattering 
houses,  and  the  night  we  camped  in  the  town  a  public 
meeting  was  held  in  the  open  air  which  I  attended.  I 
have  no  recollection  of  what  it  was  about,  although  it  was 
the  first  political  speech  I  had  ever  heard,  but  I  do  re- 
member that  the  place  was  lit  up  by  torches  made  of  pine- 
knots  and  that  they  furnished  the  most  beautiful  light 
I  had  ever  seen.  I  was  only  about  eight  years  old  then, 
and  when  I  learned  that  I  could  get  pine-knots  for  the 
trouble  of  gathering  them,  I  lost  no  time  the  next  day  in 
collecting  all  I  wanted,  although  the  task  was  not  as 
easy  as  I  expected.  On  the  way  home  I  illuminated  our 
camp  every  night  and  had  some  left  with  which  I  lit  up 
the  premises  to  please  a  few  of  my  young  friends.  They 
were  delighted,  because  they  had  never  seen  anything  so 

15 


16  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

brilliant  before,  but  the  exhibition  closed  when  I  barely 
missed  setting  fire  to  the  corn-crib. 

The  light  they  had  been  accustomed  to  see  was  made 
by  wrapping  a  rag  around  a  stick  and  saturating  it 
with  lard ;  the  lower  end  was  then  stuck  in  a  coffee-cup 
half  full  of  sand,  and  the  cup  was  filled  with  rendered 
lard  or  melted  tallow.  It  made  a  very  dim  light,  but  it 
was  the  best  we  could  do  before  candle  molds  were  in- 
troduced, which  were  used  by  everybody  who  made  tallow 
candles,  until  sperm  candles  of  northern  manufacture 
were  placed  on  the  market.  The  first  I  ever  saw  was  in 
Castroville,  in  1855,  when  three  of  them  sold  for  twenty- 
five  cents ;  but  they  were  too  high-priced  for  common  use 
and  more  than  the  poorer  people  of  that  region  could 
afford  to  pay. 

My  father  was  an  indulgent  parent  and  he  allowed  his 
children  many  privileges,  but  he  could  be  severe  in  his 
punishments  when  their  misconduct  made  it  necessary, 
and  our  mother  was  equally  kind  and  affectionate.  Under 
such  influences  the  hardships  that  circumstances  imposed 
upon  us  were  not  felt  and  we  retained  pleasant  memories 
of  our  childhood.  Our  opportunities  for  an  education 
were  limited,  and  in  my  case  frequent  interruptions  oc- 
curred so  that  my  school  days  if  added  together  would 
represent  a  very  short  period. 

I  remember  a  donkey  which  was  identified  with  my 
school  experiences  that,  incidentally,  was  the  cause  of 
many  fights  and  any  amount  of  trouble,  but  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  discuss  them.  He  had  a  disposition  that 
was  rather  eccentric  and  he  indulged  his  whims  whenever 
it  suited  him.  He  was  always  in  request  on  week  days,  and 
on  Sundays  some  one  of  the  children  rode  him  to  church. 
I  will  never  forget  the  sensation  he  created  one  Sabbath 
morning  when  the  services  were  being  conducted.  The 
minister  was  reading  from  the  Bible  and  the  congrega- 
tion was  devoutly  listening  to  the  lesson  in  which  the  word 
Hallelujah  appears.  As  he  raised  his  voice  to  an  un- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  17 

usually  loud  pitch  when  repeating  the  word,  the  donkey, 
that  was  grazing  near  the  window,  thought,  perhaps, 
that  the  exclamation  invited  a  response.  A  moment  later 
his  head  appeared  in  the  opening  and  he  uttered  a  refrain 
in  prolonged  strains  such  as  only  a  donkey  can  express, 
until  the  solemnities  were  disturbed  and  the  preacher  even, 
although  somewhat  disconcerted,  could  not  suppress  a 
smile. 

My  father  owned  a  small  bunch  of  horses  that  were  not 
easily  controlled  and  the  donkey  was  our  stand-by  until 
we  got  rid  of  a  wild  gray  mare  that  could  rarely  be 
penned  and  she  always  led  the  herd.  One  Sunday,  when 
my  parents  were  at  church,  we  managed  to  get  her  in  the 
pen,  and  after  roping  and  throwing  her,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  several  visiting  boys,  I  tied  a  dry  cow's  hide 
securely  to  her  tail.  When  I  turned  her  loose  she  dashed 
out  of  the  enclosure  and  as  the  rattling  raw-hide  drove 
her  frantic  with  fright  her  headlong  flight  was  continued 
until  she  was  lost  to  view.  She  was  never  seen  afterwards 
and  we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  she  was  drowned  in 
the  Medina  River  or  else  she  had  run  herself  to  death.  My 
father  was  kept  in  ignorance  of  our  performance  for  some 
time  until  he  missed  her,  and  he  did  not  appear  to  regret 
her  disappearance  because  he  knew  her  to  be  worthless. 

Another  escapade  of  mine  was  more  serious  in  its  con- 
sequences, and  it  caused  my  father  and  several  of  his 
neighbors  considerable  trouble  and  expense.  Three 
neighborhood  boys  assisted  me  and  were  equally  respon- 
sible for  the  mischief  which  consisted  in  changing  the 
corner-stones  of  a  number  of  adjoining  farms,  including 
those  on  my  father's  land.  The  alterations  were  not  dis- 
covered until  some  time  after  and  several  years  passed 
before  the  trouble  was  remedied  by  repeated  surveys  of 
the  tracts  involved.  They  each  had  the  same  area  of  land 
because  we  had  measured  off  a  certain  width  and  added  it 
to  the  next  adjacent,  consequently  it  was  necessary  to 
start  at  an  established  corner  and  re-survey  all  the  sub- 


18  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

divisions  of  the  640-acre  tract  which,  when  located  ac- 
cording to  the  field  notes,  identified  the  corners  correctly. 

The  land  in  controversy  was  then  in  Bexar  County,  and 
I  think  the  differences  in  their  claims  were  settled  without 
litigation.  I  am  sure  that  my  father  arbitrated  his  claim 
in  a  friendly  manner  because  he  never  had  a  suit  in  court, 
although  he  frequently  served  as  a  grand  juror  and  on 
petty  juries  in  the  district  court. 

My  parents  had  become  more  prosperous  as  a  recom- 
pense for  their  hard  labor  and  strict  economy,  and  their 
children  were  old  enough  to  assist  in  performing  the  rou- 
tine duties  of  the  farm.  The  settlement  in  the  mean- 
time had  been  extended  and  the  population  in  the  coun- 
try was  greatly  augmented,  therefore,  the  opportunities 
for  securing  a  living  had  increased.  A  stage  route  had 
also  been  established  between  San  Antonio  and  Eagle 
Pass,  which  passed  by  my  father's  door.  It  was  under 
the  management  of  Alex  David,  who  had  secured  a  con- 
tract to  carry  the  United  States  mail  between  those 
points,  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  granted  a  similar 
contract  to  transport  the  mail  between  San  Antonio  and 
Bandera.  As  the  latter  was  tributary  to  the  main  line 
it  was  open  to  a  sub-contractor  and  my  father  applied 
for  and  secured  the  route.  It  extended  from  his  house, 
four  miles  east  of  Castroville,  to  Bandera  and  back,  a 
distance  of  thirty-two  miles,  each  way,  and  it  was  stipu- 
lated that  it  should  be  ridden  every  Monday,  and  back 
the  next  day,  for  which  my  father  was  to  receive  $300  per 
annum. 

I  was  then  about  fourteen  years  old  and  the  duty  of 
carrying  the  mail  was  assigned  to  me,  whereby  I  became 
the  youngest  mail-carrier  in  the  United  States.  The 
Bandera  mail  sack  that  was  brought  by  stage  to  my  fath- 
er's house  every  Monday,  about  noon,  was  conveyed  by 
me  to  Bandera,  on  horse-back,  and  I  returned  the  next 
day  in  time  to  meet  the  Eagle  Pass  mail-hack  which  took 
it  on  to  San  Antonio. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  19 

The  country  along  my  route  was  sparsely  settled  then, 
as  the  following  facts  will  show.  After  leaving  my 
father's  house  it  was  eight  miles  to  the  ranch  owned 
jointly  by  Dr.  Bohm  and  Richard  Tuerpe.  The  last 
served  fifteen  years  as  commissioner  in  Medina  County, 
and  now  resides  in  San  Antonio.  Twelve  miles  further 
on  was  Mitchell's  ranch,  that  was  in  charge  of  John 
Green,  the  father  of  Will  Green,  who  is  now  a  mounted 
policeman  in  San  Antonio.  Six  miles  beyond,  the  ranch 
of  August  and  Celeste  Begno  was  located,  who  now  own 
a  large  ranch  on  Turkey  Creek,  and  Ed.  Montel,  an  at- 
torney in  Hondo  City,  is  their  nephew.  The  next  settle- 
ment was  the  beautifully  located  town  of  Bandera  which 
is  widely  known  as  a  health  resort  on  account  of  the 
salubrious  climate. 

These  were  frontier  settlements  and  about  that  period 
the  wild  Indians  made  frequent  incursions  through  the 
country,  but  I  was  lucky  enough  to  avoid  coming  in 
contact  with  them,  nor  did  I  see  any  signs  of  them  on  any 
of  my  journeys.  On  one  occasion,  though,  I  was  badly 
frightened  by  a  party  of  Mexicans,  who  were  mistaken 
for  Indians,  and  I  made  a  record  run  when  making  my 
escape.  As  I  am  giving  my  experiences  I  may  as  well 
relate  the  circumstances. 

The  trip  under  consideration  was  made  in  company 
with  a  boy  then  on  a  visit  to  Castroville,  whose  home  was 
in  Bandera,  and  as  he  wished  to  return  I  allowed  him  to 
ride  behind  me  on  my  horse.  He  was  about  my  age,  and 
though  his  name  is  forgotten,  I  remember  that  John 
Adamadez,  now  a  horse-dealer  in  San  Antonio,  was  his 
cousin.  Nothing  happened  until  we  got  into  the  Medina 
mountains,  where  I  took  a  wrong  trail  that  led  us  into 
the  Medina  valley,  about  six  miles  below  Mitchell's  ranch. 
About  the  time  I  realized  my  mistake  a  scattered  body  of 
men  suddenly  appeared  in  sight  among  the  trees,  who 
we  supposed  were  Indians.  We  were  very  much  alarmed 
and  I  quickly  turned  my  horse  without  waiting  to  make 


20  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

a  close  investigation,  but  the  movement  was  not  fast 
enough  to  satisfy  my  companion,  who,  in  a  panic,  jumped 
to  the  ground  and  ran  in  the  brush.  It  was  done  so 
quickly  I  thought  he  was  killed,  and  under  that  impres- 
sion my  horse  was  urged  to  his  best  speed  until  I  arrived 
at  Mitchell's  ranch  and  excitedly  related  all  that  had  hap- 
pened. Mr.  Green  tried  to  quiet  my  fears,  and  promised 
that  when  his  men  came  in  he  would  send  one  with  me  to 
Bandera  for  assistance.  While  we  were  waiting  a  party 
of  Mexicans  came  up  to  the  ranch  and  with  them  was  the 
boy  who  I  supposed  was  dead.  They  proved  to  be  those 
we  had  assumed  were  Indians,  and  I  knew  I  had  given  a 
false  alarm  when  they  explained  that  they  had  been  en- 
gaged in  thrashing  pecan  trees  and  gathering  the  nuts. 
They  were  near  enough  to  witness  our  fright  and  hastily 
quit  their  work  to  overtake  the  boy,  who,  when  found, 
was  undeceived.  Knowing  that  an  alarm  of  Indians  be- 
ing in  the  vicinity  would  create  excitement,  they  hurried 
to  the  ranch  with  a  view  to  relieve  the  anxiety  of  his 
friends.  Of  course  I  was  glad  that  no  serious  results 
were  attached  to  the  adventure,  but  my  Indian  scare  be- 
came a  standing  joke  among  my  acquaintances  and  it  was 
a  sore  subject  until  I  lived  it  down. 

Nothing  else  happened  to  me  while  I  carried  the  mail 
that  was  of  any  consequence,  except  once,  when  I  was 
thrown  from  a  wild  mule  I  was  riding,  which,  -incidentally, 
caused  considerable  excitement.  He  was  a  skittish  beast, 
and  so  easily  frightened  he  would  frequently  snort  and 
jump  suddenly  to  one  side  when  nothing  was  in  sight  but 
his  shadow.  Generally  I  was  on  my  guard,  but  that  even- 
ing I  was  careless,  and  when  he  made  a  quick  bound  side- 
ways I  was  thrown  out  of  the  saddle  to  the  ground. 
Before  I  could  recover  my  feet  he  darted  away  at  the 
top  of  his  speed  with  my  mail-bag  and  I  had  to  walk  to 
Bandera,  a  mile  or  two  distant.  When  I  related  what 
had  happened,  my  story  enlisted  the  services  of  all  the 
men  in  the  town,  but  their  search  was  unsuccessful  until 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  21 

late  the  following  evening,  when  the  brute  was  brought 
in  and  I  was  glad  to  know  that  the  mail-bag  was  safe. 
The  next  morning  I  started  for  home,  feeling  badly  at 
the  thought  that  I  was  a  day  behind  because  it  was  the 
first  time  such  a  thing  had  happened.  When  within 
twelve  miles  from  home  I  was  surprised  to  meet  my  father 
with  a  party  of  neighbors  on  their  way  to  look  for  me. 
Among  them  was  Dan  Adams,  Sam  Etter,  John  Bippert, 
Tab  Woodward,  Jim  Brown  and  others.  They  were  all 
very  much  relieved  when  they  saw  me,  because  they 
thought  I  had  either  been  killed  or  captured  by  Indians. 

The  mail  route  was  in  existence  one  year  and  ten 
months,  and  in  that  time  I  made  about  one  hundred  round 
trips,  each  averaging  sixty-four  miles,  without  failing 
to  be  on  time  except  on  the  occasion  to  which  I  have  re- 
ferred, and  that  was  not  my  fault.  When  my  youth  is 
considered,  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  the  country 
was  infested  by  roving  bands  of  Indians  who  were  con- 
tinually depredating  upon  the  people  and  committing 
many  murders,  I  have  a  right  to  flatter  myself  on  the 
record  I  made.  It  is  evident  that  I  escaped  numerous 
dangers  and  I  feel  grateful  for  my  good  fortune.  Al- 
though I  carried  a  six-shooter  as  long  and  heavy  as  that 
worn  by  Big-foot  Wallace,  or  any  other  Indian  fighter, 
it  is  an  open  question  whether  I  would  have  used  it,  in 
case  of  an  encounter  with  Indians,  or  would  have  trusted, 
instead,  to  the  speed  of  my  good  horse,  Sam,  who  carried 
me  on  nearly  all  of  my  journeys. 

All  mail  contracts  granted  by  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment in  Texas  were  cancelled  in  1861,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Civil  War,  and  of  course  Alex  David 
discontinued  his  services.  When  my  father's  sub-contract 
was  annulled  a  sum  amounting  to  about  five  hundred 
dollars  was  due  him  for  carrying  the  mail ;  but  neither  he 
nor  his  heirs  have  been  able  to  recover  a  cent  from  the 
government  on  the  account ;  consequently  all  my  services 
in  that  connection  were  performed  for  nothing  unless  the 


22  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

claim  still  pending  in  Washington  City  should  be  favor- 
ably considered  in  the  future. 

The  great  Civil  War  was  initiated  and  Texas  became 
involved  in  that  lamentable  struggle,  but  I  do  not  intend 
to  discuss  the  subject.  I  will  only  say  that  my  father, 
like  many  other  good  citizens,  voted  against  secession, 
but,  after  the  measure  was  carried,  he  submitted  to  the 
laws  of  the  land  and  directed  his  attention  to  his  legiti- 
mate business.  Partly  with  a  view  to  giving  me  employ- 
ment, he  engaged  in  freighting  cotton  from  Columbus 
to  Eagle  Pass,  and  I  drove  an  ox-team  between  those 
points  until  September,  1862,  but  the  occupation  was  not 
such  as  I  fancied.  I  was  then  nearly  seventeen  years  of 
age,  and  in  December  of  that  year  I  visited  Eagle  Pass 
on  my  personal  account,  with  the  intention  of  making  my 
own  way  in  the  world.  I  entertained  no  political  preju- 
dices, nor  was  there  any  necessity  for  me  to  take  sides 
in  the  war,  on  account  of  my  age,  consequently  it  had 
nothing  to  do  with  my  visit  to  the  Mexican  border.  Af- 
terwards I  passed  over  the  Rio  Grande,  and  did  not  again 
return  to  Texas  for  several  years,  but  my  experiences 
until  then  will  be  related  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER    III 

I  FEI/T  no  misgivings  regarding  my  future  prospects 
when  I  left  home  in  September,  1862,  with  the  determina- 
tion to  seek  my  fortune  in  the  world  that  I  believed  was 
waiting  for  me  somewhere.  I  was  young,  healthy,  and 
vigorous,  with  a  mind  strengthened  by  independent 
thoughts  that  had  sustained  me  in  many  responsible  posi- 
tions and  I  felt  that  I  could  earn  a  competency  by  my 
own  exertions.  With  such  confidence  in  myself,  a  good 
horse,  and  a  few  dollars  in  my  pocket,  I  parted  from  the 
loved  ones  at  home  with  no  definite  idea  with  reference  to 
the  date  of  my  return. 

My  route  on  horse-back  to  Eagle  Pass  took  me  through 
the  town  of  D'Hanis,  where  I  was  joined  by  Joe  Carle, 
the  father  of  Carle  Bros.,  who  now  conduct  a  mercantile 
establishment  on  West  Commerce  Street,  in  San  Antonio. 
He  was  a  merchant  in  D'Hanis  and  we  had  previously 
arranged  to  go  to  Mexico  together,  where  he  had  busi- 
ness to  attend  to,  but  as  he  was  engaged  to  his  present 
wife  he  returned  home  after  an  absence  of  a  few  weeks. 
In  the  meantime  I  became  acquainted  with  Billy  Egg,  a 
young  man  who  had  fled  from  east  Texas  to  avoid  serv- 
ing in  the  army.  He  was  stopping  with  his  brother, 
Thomas  Egg,  a  married  man,  who  lived  in  Piedras 
Negras,  and  I  secured  board  with  the  family. 

A  few  days  afterwards  I,  and  two  other  men,  accom- 
panied Thomas  Egg  thirty  miles  up  the  Rio  Grande  to  a 
bottom  where  there  was  a  growth  of  willow  trees,  which 
he  proposed  to  cut  into  lengths  suitable  for  rafters,  called 
vieges  in  Spanish.  They  were  used  by  the  Mexicans  as 
a  sub-structure  for  the  flat  roofs  of  their  houses,  which 
were  built  of  adobies  or  sun-dried  brick,  4  x  10  x  18  inches, 

23 


24  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

made  of  mud.  The  rafters  most  in  demand  were  twen- 
ty-five feet  long,  with  a  diameter  of  twelve  inches  at  the 
butt  and  six  inches  at  the  small  end.  These  could  be 
readily  sold  in  Piedras  Negras  at  one  dollar  and  a  half 
each,  on  account  of  their  scarcity  because  of  the  diffi- 
culty in  hauling  them. 

When  constructing  a  roof  for  a  house  the  Mexicans 
placed  these  rafters  on  top  of  the  adobe  walls,  about  two 
feet  apart,  and  the  entire  space  was  then  closely  cov- 
ered over  with  split  boards,  about  two  feet  long,  that 
reached  from  one  rafter  to  the  next.  A  mortar  of  mud, 
made  from  a  particular  kind  of  dirt,  was  thoroughly 
mixed  with  dry  grass  until  it  could  be  handled.  This 
was  spread  in  a  continuous  layer  about  four  inches  thick 
near  the  eaves  and  much  thicker  in  the  middle,  so  as  to 
give  a  slope  to  the  roof.  After  becoming  thoroughly 
dry  a  second  layer  of  about  the  same  thickness  was  put 
on,  and  it  was  followed  by  a  third  when  ready  to  receive 
it.  The  finishing  course  was  a  layer  of  cement  about  four 
inches  thick,  composed  of  earth  and  lime,  which  only  the 
Mexicans  know  how  to  mix,  and  the  roof  with  its  slope 
from  the  center  was  made  smooth  by  dragging  over  it 
the  edge  of  a  board.  Such  roofs  last  a  long  time,  and  I 
remember  one  that  was  shown  me  in  Paras,  Mexico,  which 
had  received  no  repairs  in  thirty  years,  that  was  then  in 
perfect  condition. 

Our  party  cut  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  of  such 
rafters,  and  as  we  had  planned  to  secure  them  in  a  raft 
and  float  them  down  the  river,  we  carried  them  to  the 
nearest  point  on  our  shoulders,  a  distance  of  three  hun- 
dred yards.  When  we  were  about  ready  to  start  our  raft 
the  Mexican  authorities  interfered,  under  the  impression 
that  it  could  be  used  for  smuggling  purposes,  and  they 
prohibited  its  completion.  We  then  changed  our  plans, 
and  were  compelled  to  employ  Mexican  carts  to  haul  our 
rafters  to  Piedras  Negras,  which  was  expensive,  conse- 
quently we  realized  only  a  small  sum  above  our  outlay. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  25 

I  was  next  employed  under  a  contract  to  make  two 
dozen  American  ox-yokes  at  one  dollar  and  a  half  apiece, 
for  Semon  de  la  Penia,  who  had  a  wagon-shop  in  Piedras 
Negras.  He  had  removed  recently  from  San  Antonio,  to 
which  place  his  family  afterwards  returned.  I  worked 
in  his  shop  and  used  his  tools  until  I  finished  the  yokes, 
and  perhaps  they  were  the  first  that  had  ever  been  made 
in  that  town. 

Soon  after  completing  my  job,  in  November,  1862,  I 
visited  Matamoras  on  horse-back,  in  company  with 
Thomas  B.  McManus,  John  Heinemann  and  Billy  Egg. 
We  traveled  down  the  Mexican  side  of  the  Rio  Grande  a 
distance  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  My  only  object 
in  going  was  to  see  the  country,  but  my  trip  was  not  sat- 
isfactory, because  after  spending  all  my  money  I  was 
compelled  to  work  in  a  cotton-yard,  and  after  a  short 
stay  I  was  ready  to  return  to  Piedras  Negras.  I  was 
without  means,  but  fortunately  I  fell  in  with  a  theatrical 
troop,  and  secured  employment  with  them  as  door-keeper. 
We  left  Matamoras  in  December,  1862,  and  on  the  way 
up  the  river  the  company  gave  performances  at  Camargo, 
Renosa,  Renosa  San  Antonio,  Roma,  Mier,  Laredo,  and 
finally  at  Piedras  Negras,  where  I  left  them. 

With  a  part  of  my  earnings  I  purchased  a  mule  and 
cart,  paying  seventy-five  dollars  for  the  outfit,  and  en- 
gaged in  hauling  water  from  the  Rio  Grande,  which  I  sold 
at  25  cents  a  barrel.  Considering  the  amount  of  capital 
invested  it  was  the  best  paying  business  in  which  I  ever 
engaged,  and  it  was  my  constant  occupation  until  I  was 
offered  employment  that  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  see 
the  country,  then  I  hired  a  man  to  drive  the  cart  during 
my  absence. 

Messrs.  Herman  and  Gilbeau,  cotton-brokers  in  Piedras 
Negras,  wanted  to  visit  San  Luis  Potosi  on  business.  As 
the  distance  was  five  hundred  and  fifty  miles  over  an  un- 
safe road  an  escort  was  necessary,  and  they  hired  me  and 
a  Mexican  to  serve  in  that  capacity.  They  traveled  in 


26  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

an  ambulance  with  four  mules  driven  by  a  Mexican  and 
the  escort  accompanied  them  on  horse-back  all  the  way. 
A  brief  sketch  of  our  route  and  the  prominent  places  of 
interest  is  worthy  of  notice  in  a  section  of  country  where 
the  greater  part  was  a  desolate  wilderness,  but  as  it  is 
described  elsewhere  as  far  as  Monterey  in  another  con- 
nection, the  reader's  attention  will  be  directed  to  a  few 
places  of  importance  beyond  that  city : 

The  city  of  Saltillo  is  situated  in  the  State  of  Coahuila, 
seventy-five  miles  southwest  of  Monterey,  on  the  north 
slope  of  a  ridge  that  crosses  the  whole  valley,  and  it  is 
in  sight  after  passing  the  hacienda  of  San  Gregario.  It 
was  then  a  well-built  town  of  substantial  houses,  with 
good  paved  streets,  and  a  beautiful  Alameda.  A  number 
of  factories  were  established  there,  and  they  contributed 
greatly  to  the  prosperity  of  the  place  by  giving  employ- 
ment to  the  inhabitants.  Several  of  them  manufactured 
unbleached  cotton  goods  exclusively,  and  others  turned 
out  woolen  goods.  They  also  had  the  reputation  of  turn- 
ing out  the  finest  of  the  well-known  hand-made  Mexican 
blankets  that  were  admired  for  their  excellent  quality  and 
workmanship,  not  only  in  the  republic  but  in  Europe  and 
the  United  States,  where  they  were  sold  for  from  thirty 
to  fifty  dollars  apiece. 

The  road  from  Saltillo  to  San  Luis  Potosi  passed 
through  San  Cristobal,  and  the  Hacienda  de  Guadalupe, 
to  the  right  of  the  Catorce  mountain,  which  rises  two 
thousand  feet  above  the  surrounding  plain.  When  within 
twenty-five  miles  of  San  Luis  Potosi  the  beautiful  city 
appears  and  distance  adds  enchantment  to  the  view  which 
becomes  more  attractive  the  nearer  it  is  approached. 
Stately  domes  and  numerous  lofty  towers  give  prom- 
inence to  the  substantial  buildings  that  crowd  upon  its 
narrow  streets.  These,  when  entered,  are  found  to  be  in- 
teresting on  account  of  the  way  they  are  laid  out  and 
because  of  their  superior  construction  and  cleanliness. 
Among  its  public  buildings  is  a  splendid  city  hall  and 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  27 

five  or  six  magnificent  churches  adorned  with  carvings 
and  sculpture  that  rival  any  in  Mexico,  the  most  superb 
of  which  is  the  cathedral. 

In  1862  San  Luis  Potosi  was  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising cities  in  the  republic,  independent  of  its  mining 
interests,  that  at  one  time  attracted  great  attenion.  The 
San  Pedro  mine  was  once  the  most  prominent  in  Mexico, 
on  account  of  the  single  piece  of  pure  gold  taken  out  of 
it,  that  is  said  to  have  been  the  largest  solid  lump  of  gold 
ever  found  in  Mexico  or  any  part  of  the  world.  It  was 
sent  to  Spain  as  a  present  to  the  King,  and  in  return  for 
that  act  of  generosity,  the  King  contributed  a  beautiful 
and  costly  clock  to  the  city  as  a  gift  for  its  cathedral, 
which  I  suppose  strikes  the  hours  now  as  it  did  in  1862 
when  I  was  there.  The  noted  San  Pedro  mine,  which 
was  near  the  city,  was  abandoned  many  years  before  my 
visit  on  account  of  water  that  flooded  the  interior  and 
caused  it  to  cave.  So  far  the  evil  has  not  been  remedied, 
but  perhaps  scientific  skill  will  overcome  the  difficulties 
eventually  and  make  its  wealth  accessible. 

After  reaching  our  destination  my  employers  ascer- 
tained that  a  lot  of  silver  bullion  that  was  due  them  had 
not  been  delivered.  The  treasure  was  expected  from  the 
mines  of  Real  de  Catorce,  distant  about  one  hundred  and 
forty  miles,  and  it  was  essential  that  it  should  be  secured 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  For  that  purpose  I  and 
the  two  Mexicans  of  our  party  were  sent  with  four  pack- 
mules,  under  the  orders  of  Angel  Hernandez,  a  resident 
of  San  Luis  Potosi.  We  arrived  at  the  smelting  works 
of  the  Catorce  mines  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  city  of  Real  de  Catorce  is  situated  on  top  of  a  high 
range  of  mountains,  and  the  only  approach  was  up  a 
narrow  winding  path  cut  in  the  side  of  the  ragged  ac- 
clivity that  could  only  be  ascended  on  foot  or  the  back 
of  mules.  This  and  another  similar  trail  were  dug  out  of 
the  perpendicular  face  of  the  precipice,  and  each  with  its 
windings  was  about  two  miles  in  length.  Its  name 


£8  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Catorce,  "  fourteen,"  was  given  it  because  this  canon  was 
first  inhabited  by  a  band  of  fourteen  robbers. 

The  population  of  the  town  then  numbered  in  the 
neighborhood  of  six  thousand  people.  The  public  build- 
ings and  houses  were  substantially  built  of  stone,  and  the 
streets,  though  narrow,  were  paved,  and  cleanliness  was 
enforced.  No  vehicles  of  any  kind  could  be  seen  in  the 
place,  and  it  was  said  that  none  had  ever  been  introduced, 
but  the  deficiency  was  supplied  by  pack  animals.  The 
inhabitants  derived  their  support  from  the  rich  mines 
situated  in  a  canon  of  the  mountains  which  rise  above  the 
plateau  on  which  the  city  is  built.  The  ore  was  very  rich 
and  the  mines  were  owrned  by  Santos  de  la  Masa,  who 
worked  them  according  to  very  primitive  methods. 

The  ore  was  conveyed  from  the  mines  to  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  in  hampers  on  the  backs  of  burros.  Each  bur- 
den weighed  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  and  they  trav- 
eled in  a  slow  pace,  as  they  wound  down  the  trail  leading 
from  the  mine,  in  a  continuous  line,  and  returned  un- 
loaded, in  a  snail-like  pace,  along  an  equally  narrow  trail 
up  another  route. 

The  reducing  works  of  the  Catorce  mines  were  situated 
near  a  stream  that  ran  along  the  base  of  the  mountain 
where  the  ore  was  worked  both  by  smelting  and  by  patio, 
or  cold  amalgamation  process.  The  first  method  was 
used  for  the  hard,  and  the  last  for  the  soft  ores  that  were 
taken  from  the  mine.  There  were  several  circular  de- 
pressions, each  about  two  feet  in  depth  and  seventy-five 
feet  in  circumference,  with  its  bottom  sloping  from  the 
center  to  the  outer  rim.  These  were  cut  in  the  solid  rock 
and  cemented,  and  each  was  enclosed  around  the  edges 
by  a  strong  fence  about  eight  feet  in  height. 

The  soft  ore  was  first  ground  on  steel  mills  to  the  fine- 
ness of  sand;  and  the  powder  was  then  placed  in  one  of 
the  circular  excavations  to  the  thickness  of  eighteen 
inches.  It  was  then  saturated  with  water,  and  a  quan- 
tity of  quick-silver  was  added.  A  number  of  wild  mules 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  29 

was  then  turned  into  the  enclosure  until  there  was  not 
enough  room  for  them  to  turn  round  and  the  gate  was 
closed.  The  mules  were  then  driven  around  the  circle 
as  rapidly  as  possible  by  men  with  whips  who  were  sta- 
tioned at  intervals  on  the  fence.  When  the  animals  were 
completely  fagged  out  others  equally  wild  relieved  them 
and  each  time  more  water  was  added.  When  the  pul- 
verized ore  was  reduced  to  the  consistency  of  mud,  it  was 
washed  clean,  and  nothing  but  the  silver  amalgam  re- 
mained that  was  deposited  in  grooves,  made  for  that 
purpose  in  the  cement  floor.  This  was  gathered  and 
smelted  in  a  furnace  from  which  the  silver  was  run  into 
bars. 

The  process  was  similar  to  the  common  practice  in  olden 
times,  when  grain  was  tramped  out  by  horses  on  a  barn 
floor,  and  it  was  equally  successful.  The  owner  of  the 
mine  raised  large  numbers  of  mules  on  his  ranch  expressly 
for  the  purpose,  and  when  sufficiently  tamed  they  were 
placed  on  the  market.  This  description  is  given  with 
the  belief  that  the  methods  then  in  use  have  been  dis- 
carded since  the  introduction  of  stamp  mills  and  other 
improved  machinery. 

A  much  harder  ore  was  taken  from  the  same  mine,  called 
milling  ore,  which  was  carried  direct  to  a  furnace.  The 
furnace  was  built  in  the  side  of  a  hill  and  resembled  a 
lime-kiln,  with  an  opening  in  the  top  to  receive  the  ore. 
A  peculiar  kind  of  wood  was  used  for  smelting  the  ore 
that  produced  an  intense  heat  which  was  kept  up  until 
a  sluggish  stream  of  silver  flowed  out  below  into  molds 
that  turned  out  bars  of  uniform  size. 

We  remained  at  the  smelting  works  three  days,  during 
which  time  I  made  several  visits  to  the  town  of  Catorce. 
I  rode  up  the  mountain  on  a  donkey  and  the  round  trip 
cost  me  twenty-five  cents.  I  had  a  good  time  frolicing, 
dancing,  and  seeing  everything  that  was  worth  the 
trouble.  Felix  Barrera,  of  San  Antonio,  who  was  known 
to  me,  was  working  in  the  mine,  but  I  did  not  see  him, 


30  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

although  I  became  acquainted  with  his  brother  who  lived 
in  the  town. 

We  loaded  our  pack-mules  with  eight  bars  of  silver  bul- 
lion, valued  at  eight  thousand  dollars,  and  returned  safely 
to  San  Luis  Potosi  with  our  valuable  cargo,  but  I  do  not 
know  what  disposition  was  made  of  it,  although  I  am 
confident  that  it  was  left  there.  Before  our  departure 
the  Mexican  ambulance  driver  was  discharged  on  account 
of  drunkenness,  and  his  duties  were  assigned  to  me.  I 
knew  all  about  driving  oxen  and  a  pair  of  horses,  and  I 
assumed  the  task  without  hesitation.  Though  it  was  my 
first  attempt  at  driving  four-in-hand,  I  succeeded  ad- 
mirably and  my  employers  complimented  my  skill  when 
we  arrived  at  Piedras  Negras,  about  the  latter  part  of 
February,  1863,  after  an  absence  of  twenty-five  days. 

I  next  offered  my  services  to  Messrs.  Rinehold  Becker 
and  George  Enderle,  merchants  of  Piedras  Negras,  who 
were  preparing  to  visit  Monterey  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
plenishing their  stock  of  goods.  My  recent  experience 
was  a  sufficient  recommendation  and  they  employed  me 
to  drive  their  ambulance. 

My  expertness  in  handling  horses  was  not  put  to  a 
test  on  the  journey  until  we  passed  over  a  stretch  of  road 
that  was  full  of  stumps.  Although  I  exerted  all  my  skill 
I  gave  my  passengers  frequent  jolts  and  they  were  rather 
free  with  their  criticism  when  commenting  'on  my  care- 
lessness. Finally  they  concluded  to  take  a  more  conser- 
vative view  of  the  situation  by  turning  their  mishaps 
to  some  account,  and  decided  that  every  time  a  wheel 
struck  a  stump  they  would  console  themselves  by  taking  a 
drink.  As  we  had  a  long  jaunt  ahead  of  us  the  en- 
counters with  stumps  and  the  bottle  were  frequent,  con- 
sequently my  employers  were  well  loaded  when  we  reached 
an  open  country.  We  returned  from  Monterey  in  March 
and  I  was  again  out  of  a  job.  Mr.  Enderle  has  been  dead 
a  number  of  years;  he  was  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  John 
Fries,  who  for  many  years  was  a  merchant  in  San  An- 


A    TEXAS    PIONEER  31 

tonio,  where  his  son,  Fred  Fries,  is  now  City  Clerk.  Mr. 
Becker  is  now  living  in  said  city,  where,  until  a  few  years 
ago,  he  was  in  active  business. 

I  was  not  disposed  to  remain  idle  and  I  undertook  to 
dig  a  well  for  John  Heinemann,  in  April,  for  a  stipulated 
price.  I  had  never  had  any  experience  in  that  line  of 
work,  and  my  ignorance  was  perceptible  when  I  struck 
water — because  of  its  crookedness  the  mouth  of  the  well 
was  hid  from  view  when  at  the  bottom.  After  it  was 
finished  it  answered  every  purpose  on  account  of  its 
abundant  supply  of  water.  It  was  the  first  well  that  was 
ever  dug  in  Piedras  Negras,  and  the  owner  made  it  pay 
by  selling  water  at  the  well  for  twelve  and  a  half  cents 
per  barrel.  It  did  not  interfere  with  my  water  business, 
which  had  been  prosecuted  during  my  absence,  and  it  was 
continued  by  hired  help  for  some  time  afterwards. 

I  was  again  free,  but  in  May  I  found  employment  with 
the  firm  of  Messrs.  F.  Groos  &  Co.,  in  Piedras  Negras, 
who  placed  me  in  charge  of  their  cotton  yard  under  Gus- 
tave  Groos,  a  brother  of  Mr.  F.  Groos,  now  a  banker  in 
San  Antonio.  I  commenced  working  for  them  at  a  salary 
of  seventy-five  dollars  per  month,  and  held  the  position 
until  the  following  October.  Strong  influences  were  then 
brought  to  bear  which  made  me  give  up  my  situation 
and  dispose  of  my  water  business,  but  when  doing  so  I 
acted  contrary  to  my  inclinations.  I  was  led  away  from 
all  my  former  occupations,  and  was  influenced  to  engage 
in  the  trade  of  war,  which  was  repulsive  to  me. 


CHAPTER   IV 

I  WAS  not  much  concerned  on  account  of  the  Civil  War 
that  was  raging  in  the  United  States,  and  I  was  content 
so  long  as  Texas  was  free  from  its  ravages.  I  did  not 
know  much  about  it,  but  before  that  time  many  men  from 
the  Southern  States  had  entered  Mexico  on  account  of 
the  troubles  there.  Some  were  refugees  who  fled  from 
the  country  because  of  their  opposition  to  secession  and 
sympathy  for  the  Union  cause,  but  many  were  skulkers 
seeking  to  avoid  military  service,  and  a  large  number 
were  deserters  from  the  Confederate  army.  Among  the 
former  was  Joe  Christ,  who  was  devoted  to  the  Union 
cause.  He  was  a  good  old  friend  of  my  father's,  and  he, 
more  than  any  one  else,  persuaded  me  to  close  up  my 
business  and  go  with  him  to  Brownsville. 

The  country  along  the  west  side  of  the  Rio  Grande  was 
then  infested  by  outlaws,  and  one  of  the  most  notorious 
was  Abram  Garcia,  who  first  appeared  there  in  I860. 
He  was  personally  known  to  Louis  Hastings,  now  living 
in  San  Antonio,  who  is  acquainted  with  his  career,  but 
through  other  sources  I  became  familiar  with  the  many 
depredations  he  committed  between  Laredo  and  Mat- 
amoras. 

He  was  commonly  known  as  Caballero  Blanco,  or  the 
White-horseman,  on  account  of  the  white  horse  he  always 
rode,  and  the  people  in  that  region  feared  him  very  much, 
particularly  in  the  towns  of  Mier,  Roma,  Renosa  Vico, 
Renosa  San  Antonio  and  Camargo.  He  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  a  very  brave  man,  but  the  cruelties  he  per- 
petrated on  those  who  fell  into  his  hands  indicated  that 
he  was  influenced  by  a  brutal  nature.  He  took  special 
delight  in  humiliating  the  victims  that  were  overpowered 

32 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  33 

by  his  gang  and  robbed,  by  forcing  them  to  dance  at  the 
muzzle  of  a  six-shooter  and  then  maltreated  them  by 
whipping  them  cruelly  with  a  quirt  before  they  were 
finally  dismissed. 

When  passing  through  the  territory  in  which  he  oper- 
ated, Mr.  Christ  and  myself  observed  a  continual  watch- 
fulness, but  nothing  was  seen  that  excited  suspicion, 
though  we  came  in  contact  with  a  party  of  unfortunate 
Mexicans  who  had  been  subjected  to  his  unmerciful  treat- 
ment. They  had  come  from  Saltillo  or  Monterey  with  a 
lot  of  superior  horses,  some  fine  Mexican  blankets,  saddles, 
and  other  things  that  were  intended  for  the  Texas  market, 
when  they  encountered  Caballero  Blanco  near  the  river, 
at  Roma.  The  property,  which  was  valuable,  was  all 
taken  from  them,  and  the  entire  party  of  six  men,  after 
being  forced  to  dance,  were  horribly  beaten,  but  one  more 
severely  than  the  others.  Their  condition  was  such  that 
it  was  necessary  to  convey  them  to  Renosa  San  Antonio 
for  medical  treatment,  and  Mr.  Sanders,  a  merchant  of 
Roma,  a  particular  friend  of  theirs,  was  summoned  to 
their  bed-side. 

After  seeing  the  evidence  of  his  deviltry,  our  party, 
like  every  one  else,  was  fearful  of  meeting  Caballero 
Blanco,  and  we  kept  constantly  on  the  watch  until  our 
destination  was  reached.  As  I  left  Mexico  a  few  months 
later  and  did  not  return  for  several  years,  I  heard  no 
mention  of  him,  nor  do  I  know  what  became  of  him. 

Persons  who  violate  the  law  in  Mexico  are  quickly  ar- 
rested, and  generally  the  penalties  are  impartially  en- 
forced ;  but  some  people  think  otherwise,  and  many  stories 
have  been  published  which  convey  a  different  impression. 

I  recall  an  unusual  incident  which  came  to  my  knowl- 
edge that  happened  at  Mier,  near  the  Rio  Grande,  when 
I  and  my  three  companions,  Tom  Egg,  John  Heinemann, 
and  Bill  McFarland,  were  stopping  there.  The  third  day 
after  our  arrival  four  other  Texans  put  up  at  the  little 
meson  where  we  were  quartered.  The  next  morning  the 


34  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

new-comers  led  their  horses  to  water  and  when  returning 
from  the  river  they  observed  a  Mexican  woman  moving 
slowly  in  the  trail  before  them.  A  large  jar  that  held 
about  four  gallons  was  gracefully  poised  on  her  head, 
without  any  support  from  her  hands,  which  contained 
water  that  she  had  procured  at  the  river  and  she  was 
carrying  it  to  her  home  half  a  mile  distant. 

One  of  the  young  men  in  the  party  was  an  excellent 
marksman  with  a  pistol,  and  he  wanted  to  show  his  skill 
by  breaking  the  jar  with  a  bullet.  His  aim  was  accurate, 
the  vessel  was  broken,  and  the  poor  woman  received  an 
unexpected  shower-bath.  It  was  a  mean  thing  for  him  to 
do,  and  perhaps  he  feared  the  consequences  or  else  his 
offer  to  compensate  the  woman  for  her  loss  by  paying  her 
a  dollar,  showed  that  he  regretted  his  thoughtless  act. 

She  communicated  the  circumstances  to  her  friends, 
who  complained  to  the  Alcalde  of  the  place,  and  in  a  short 
time  eight  armed  men  appeared  before  the  meson  and  con- 
veyed the  young  gentleman  to  jail.  Until  then  no  one 
in  my  party  knew  what  had  happened,  and  then  Messrs. 
Heinemann,  Egg,  and  McFarland,  accompanied  by  the 
prisoner's  three  friends,  followed  him  and  the  guard,  but 
I  remained  in  camp. 

Heinemann,  who  had  married  in  a  prominent  Mexican 
family  in  Laredo,  could  speak  Spanish  fluently  and  he 
undertook  to  defend  the  young  Texan.  He  proved  by 
the  testimony  of  his  friends  that  the  prisoner  was  an  ex- 
pert with  a  pistol,  who  could  shoot  an  egg  off  a  man's 
head  at  any  reasonable  distance,  and  that  the  woman's 
life  was  in  no  danger  when  he  fired  at  the  jar. 

But  for  Heineman's  influence  it  is  probable  that  some 
sort  of  punishment  would  have  been  meted  out  to  the 
young  man,  and  he  was  fortunate  in  escaping  so  easily, 
because  then  Americans  were  looked  upon  with  less  favor 
than  now.  Possibly  when  he  returned  to  Texas  he  made 
himself  a  hero  by  telling  incredible  stories  about  Mexico, 
like  others  have  done,  but  they  only  deceive  the  ignorant. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  35 

After  arriving  in  Brownsville,  Mr.  Christ  exerted  his 
influence  over  me  and  in  compliance  with  his  earnest  solici- 
tations I  enlisted  in  the  United  States  army,  in  December, 
1863,  as  a  private  in  Captain  Braubach's  company  of 
scouts.  The  company  was  an  independent  organization, 
raised  for  service  on  the  Rio  Grande,  and  it  was  com- 
posed of  white  Americans  exclusively.  I  was  then  in  my 
seventeenth  year  and  when  the  officers  were  elected  I  was 
made  second  corporal.  The  First  Texas  Cavalry  was 
then  in  camp  at  Brownsville,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Davis,  who  was  afterwards  governor  of  Texas, 
and  my  company  was  embodied  with  it  and  was  known 
as  Company  H.  During  the  six  months  that  the  com- 
mand remained  in  that  region  it  was  constantly  engaged 
in  scouting  along  the  Texas  border. 

On  one  occasion  a  detachment  of  the  regiment,  con- 
sisting of  twenty  men,  was  sent  to  Padre  Island  with  or- 
ders to  collect  a  lot  of  beeves  under  the  protection  of  a 
vessel  that  was  to  sail  a  mile  or  so  from  shore  and  warn 
us  of  the  enemy's  presence  should  any  appear.  After 
proceeding  some  distance  we  came  in  sight  of  a  herd  of 
cattle  and  soon  headed  them  toward  our  lines.  We 
did  not  make  much  progress  before  the  enemy  appeared 
with  a  larger  force  that  compelled  us  to  retreat  and  the 
beeves  were  recaptured.  The  vessel  off  shore  promptly 
came  to  our  rescue  and  shelled  our  opponents,  but  they 
could  not  be  prevented  from  driving  off  the  cattle  to  a 
place  of  safety. 

A  large  Federal  force,  represented  by  all  branches  of 
the  service,  was  then  concentrated  in  the  vicinity  of 
Brownsville,  and  the  commodious  buildings  at  Fort  Brown, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  Matamoras, 
were  occupied  by  them.  An  invasion  of  Texas  was  in  con- 
templation that  was  to  be  conducted  on  a  large  scale 
by  two  armies,  one  on  Red  River  and  the  other  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  both  acting  in  concert,  but  the  battles  of  Mans- 
field and  Pleasant  H'ill  changed  these  plans  and  Texas 


36  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

was  spared  from  witnessing  the  havoc  incident  to  the 
ravages  of  war. 

After  Banks'  army  was  defeated  on  Red  River  and 
driven  back  to  Morganza,  on  the  Mississippi  River,  the 
western  division,  that  was  to  have  participated  in  the 
invasion  of  Texas  from  the  west,  was  ordered  to 
rendezvous  at  that  point  in  Louisiana.  Only  five  com- 
panies of  the  First  Texas  Cavalry  were  included  in  the 
order,  and  Companies  A,  B  and  C  remained  in  Browns- 
ville under  the  command  of  Captain  Zoeller  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  when  they  were  reunited  with  the  regiment. 

When  we  arrived  at  Morganza  the  encampment  of 
General  Banks'  army  of  80,000  men  extended  along  the 
river  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles  and  the  line  of  out- 
posts was,  necessarily,  about  twenty  miles  long.  A  reor- 
ganization of  the  army  was  in  progress  and  it  was  under- 
stood that  preparations  were  being  made  for  another 
advance  into  Texas.  During  that  period  the  picket  line 
was  constantly  harassed  by  the  enemy's  scouts  and  they 
sustained  many  losses,  although  they  had  a  strong  sup- 
port and  were  always  on  the  alert.  Every  day  a  dozen 
or  more  of  the  poor  fellows  were  either  killed,  wounded, 
or  captured,  and  it  seemed  as  if  it  was  impossible  to  re- 
strain the  Rebs,  who  seemed  to  be  always  ready  to  attack 
our  front.  These  fatalities  do  not  figure  in  history,  but 
it  is  an  actual  fact  that  the  Confederates  caused  more 
losses  to  the  Union  army  in  that  encampment  than  was 
sustained  by  the  American  forces  in  the  recent  Spanish 
war. 

The  Confederates  occupied  a  fortification  on  Bayou 
Atchafalaya,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant  and  west  of 
our  position,  which  gave  them  a  strong  support.  When 
the  attacks  became  insufferable  it  was  determined  to 
drive  them  from  that  location,  and,  if  possible,  force  them 
to  abandon  the  country  east  of  that  stream.  For  that 
purpose  a  force  numbering  about  three  thousand  infantry, 
with  four  or  five  batteries  and  one  thousand  cavalry,  was 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  S7 

sent  against  them  with  orders  to  treat  all  Confederate 
scouts  as  guerrillas  and  show  no  mercy  to  those  who 
should  fall  in  their  hands. 

The  excuse  for  vigorous  action  and  the  adoption  of 
harsh  penalties  was  justified  by  the  report  that  the 
Confederates  had  hung  several  Federal  soldiers;  but  the 
reason  for  doing  so  was  unknown,  and  if  it  was  a  fact 
the  circumstances  did  not  warrant  such  extremely  harsh 
measures,  though  many  acts  are  perpetrated  in  time  of 
war  which  are  unjustifiable.  Possibly  they  were  executed 
as  spies  or  deserters,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  they 
were  foragers  who  were  depredating  on  the  citizens,  and 
hanging  was  too  good  for  them. 

A  detachment  of  sixty  men  from  the  First  Texas  Cav- 
alry was  placed  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Lilly 
of  Company  A,  and  eight  of  them  were  selected  from 
Company  H.  My  disappointment  because  I  was  not  one 
of  them  led  me  to  offer  my  services  as  a  volunteer  and 
they  were  accepted.  I  was  anxious  to  go  because  we  all 
thought  that  it  was  the  first  movement  towards  the  in- 
vasion of  Texas  and  my  confidence  led  me  to  believe  that 
we  would  march  direct  to  San  Antonio.  Fearing  that 
there  would  be  no  more  fighting,  I  was  anxious  to  par- 
ticipate in  one  engagement  so  that  I  could  tell  my  friends 
in  Texas  that  I  took  part  in  a  battle.  When  I  was 
chosen  in  another  man's  place  I  was  delighted  and  I  con- 
sidered it  a  very  great  favor. 

We  left  our  encampment  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  our  detachment  led  the  advance  with  a  part 
of  a  New  York  regiment  of  cavalry  in  our  rear.  We  were 
chosen  for  the  post  of  honor  because  the  First  Texas 
Cavalry  had  the  reputation  of  being  very  good  horse- 
men. We  rode  about  twenty  miles  before  we  came  in  con- 
tact with  the  enemy's  pickets.  They  gave  us  a  warm  re- 
ception, and  held  us  in  check  for  half  an  hour,  in  which 
time  about  thirty  of  our  men  were  killed  and  many 
wounded.  After  the  first  attack  reinforcements  of  in- 


38  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

fantry  rapidly  advanced  and  a  charge  was  made  which 
routed  the  enemy.  We  pursued  them  about  five  miles, 
or  until  we  were  under  the  fire  of  the  fort,  and  we  then 
skirmished  until  our  entire  force  was  concentrated. 

Our  troops  were  sheltered  behind  a  levee  and  the  enemy 
was  strongly  fortified  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Atchafalaya  with  their  cannon  commanding  the  bridge. 
The  fight  lasted  about  four  hours,  during  which  time  a 
heavy  infantry  and  artillery  fire  was  maintained  on  both 
sides.  The  Federal  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  con- 
siderable, and  I  saw  enough  fighting  to  satisfy  me,  but 
I  did  my  part  without  making  myself  conspicuous.  My 
first  shock  was  received  when  I  saw  Major  Black,  a  gal- 
lant officer,  who  commanded  a  battalion  of  Illinois  infan- 
try, shot  from  the  top  of  the  levee  and  roll  down  the 
embankment.  The  retreat  was  ordered  none  too  soon  for 
me,  and  I  never  afterwards  was  foolish  enough  to  vol- 
unteer when  a  detail  was  needed,  on  which  occasions  I 
was  always  glad  when  my  name  did  not  appear. 

After  the  invasion  of  Texas  was  abandoned,  the  en- 
campment at  Morganza  was  broken  up  and  the  five  com- 
panies of  the  First  Texas  Cavalry  were  stationed  suc- 
cessively at  Natchez,  Brookhaven  and  Baton  Rouge. 
Subsequently,  when  the  war  was  brought  to  a  close,  they 
were  ordered  to  New  Orleans,  where  they, were  joined 
by  Companies  A,  B,  and  C>  that  had  been  left  in  Browns- 
ville. They  had  performed  efficient  service  on  the 
western  borders  of  Texas  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Zoeller,  and  they  participated  in  the  last  battle  that  was 
fought  for  the  Union.  The  engagement  took  place  the 
13th  day  of  May,  1865,  below  Brownsville,  at  Palo  Alto, 
which  is  now  known  as  the  "  White  Ranch."  It  was  not 
much  of  a  fight,  but  it  is  worthy  of  notice  because  it  hap- 
pened seven  days  after  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department 
of  the  Confederacy  was  surrendered  by  General  Kirby 
Smith,  consequently  it  was  the  last  battle  of  the  war. 

After  the   companies   of  the  regiment  were  reunited, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  39 

Company  H,  which  until  then  was  known  as  an  inde- 
pendent organization,  was  disbanded  and  the  men  en- 
rolled in  the  companies  of  their  choice,  otherwise  they 
would  not  have  been  entitled  to  pensions  and  other  emolu- 
ments of  the  service.  I  became  a  member  of  Company 
C,  commanded  by  Captain  Zoeller,  who  now  is  a  pros- 
perous farmer  and  ranchman  and  resides  at  Waring, 
Texas.  The  regiment  marched  over-land  to  San  Antonio, 
Texas,  where  on  the  28th  of  October,  1865,  the  men  were 
honorably  discharged  from  the  army. 

Before  dismissing  the  subject,  I  wish  to  pay  a  just 
tribute  to  the  character  and  services  of  my  commander, 
and  it  will  be  appropriate  to  do  so  in  this  connection. 

Captain  Zoeller  claims  a  long  list  of  ancestors  who  were 
prominently  connected  with  military  life  in  Germany, 
therefore,  he  was  instinctively  a  soldier  and  the  profession 
of  arms  was  not  repulsive  to  him.  He  was  con- 
scientious in  his  views  with  reference  to  the  political 
troubles  that  arose  in  1861,  and  he  not  only  opposed  se- 
cession at  the  ballot  box,  but  he  entered  the  army  and  was 
active  in  defense  of  the  Union  during  the  great  Civil 
War. 

His  talents  and  qualifications  recommended  him  for  pro- 
motion, and  as  a  captain  of  cavalry  his  superior  horse- 
manship and  gallantry  made  him  conspicuous  on  all  oc- 
casions where  his  services  could  be  made  effective.  As  an 
officer  he  recognized  the  fact  that  obedience  was  the  first 
duty  of  a  soldier,  and  he  exerted  himself  to  instill  his 
principles  into  the  minds  of  his  men.  As  a  disciplinarian 
he  was  strict  but  kind  and  considerate  to  those  who  served 
under  him,  consequently  he  won  their  respect  and  con- 
fidence. The  estimation  in  which  his  abilities  and  serv- 
ices were  held  by  those  in  authority  was  expressed  when 
he  was  offered  a  position  in  the  regular  army  of  the 
United  States.  When  he  returned  to  the  peaceful  pur- 
suits of  private  life  he  not  only  retained  the  affections  of 
his  comrades  in  arms,  but  he  won  the  good  will  of  all 


40  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

men  and  he  commanded  an  influence  that  was  felt  wher- 
ever he  was  known.  No  man  is  perfect,  but  my  friend- 
ship for  Captain  Zoeller  has  placed  a  high  estimate  on  his 
character,  and  I  believe  that  when  his  life's  record  is 
closed  few  blemishes  will  appear  to  mar  the  purity  of  his 
existence. 

I '  returned  immediately  to  my  father's  farm,  where  I 
received  an  affectionate  welcome  from  my  people  and 
neighbors.  I  had  been  absent  from  home  nearly  three 
years,  and  many  changes  had  occurred  during  that 
period,  but  none  had  taken  place  in  my  father's  family. 
After  spending  two  pleasant  months  among  my  old  asso- 
ciations, I  became  restless  and  anxious  for  some  active 
employment.  As  mail  contracts  were  then  being  let  in 
Texas,  I  filed  an  application  for  the  route  from  San 
Antonio  to  Eagle  Pass  and  from  there  to  Fort  Clark. 
My  bid  was  accepted  by  the  Post  Office  Department  and 
in  January,  1866,  a  contract  was  awarded  me. 


CHAPTER   V 

I  WAS  not  quite  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  I  secured 
a  contract  to  carry  the  United  States  mail  from  San  An- 
tonio to  Eagle  Pass  and  that  from  Eagle  Pass  to  Fort 
Clark.  The  length  of  the  first  route  was  one  hundred  and 
sixty-two  miles,  and  I  was  required  to  make  the  round 
trip  once  every  six  days.  The  post  offices  were  Castro- 
ville,  New  Fountain,  D'Hanis,  Sabinal,  Uvalde  and  Eagle 
Pass,  from  which  place  the  mail  was  carried  to  Fort 
Clark,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  by  George  Swanda,  whom 
I  hired  for  that  purpose. 

My  outfit  consisted  of  a  three-seated  hack,  capable  of 
carrying  six  persons,  that  was  drawn  by  a  pair  of  mules, 
which  I  drove  myself.  Stations  were  established  at  suit- 
able distances,  where  I  changed  teams ;  and  as  I  had  sub- 
let the  route  to  Fort  Clark,  Eagle  Pass  became  the  ter- 
minus of  that  under  my  immediate  control. 

My  regular  charge  per  seat,  for  a  through  passage, 
was  twenty  dollars,  but  it  was  seldom  that  all  seats  were 
occupied.  \ 

The  road  was  always  beset  by  many  dangers,  and  I 
considered  myself  extremely  fortunate  after  passing 
through  them.  The  frontier  was  practically  unprotected 
against  the  Indians  who  were  then  plentiful,  and  they 
made  raids  with  impunity  through  Medina,  Uvalde  and 
Atascosa  Counties,  where  they  killed  and  plundered  the 
people.  The  Eagle  Pass  and  El  Paso  roads  were  con- 
tinually infested  by  them,  and  those  who  traveled  those 
routes  always  tempted  Providence  unless  they  were  strong 
enough  in  numbers  to  resist  an  attack. 

I  often  saw  the  trails  of  marauding  parties  of  Indians 

41 


42  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

where  they  crossed  the  road  and  have  found  the  mutilated 
bodies  of  many  men  lying  where  they  had  been  murdered. 
I  frequently  traveled  the  route  alone,  and  it  is  remark- 
able that  on  such  occasions  I  was  never  molested,  and  the 
exceptions  were  when  I  had  one  or  more  passengers  in 
my  coach.  The  risks  were  so  great  that  business  men 
would  rarely  travel  the  route  alone,  but  formed  parties 
of  several  who  were  well  supplied  with  arms  and 
ammunition. 

On  one  of  my  trips  in  1866,  I  was  traveling  westward 
entirely  alone,  and  when  about  eighteen  miles  from  Eagle 
Pass  I  drove  into  a  camp,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, where  nine  Mexican  carts  were  standing  by  the  road- 
side. The  bodies  of  the  drivers  were  scattered  around 
where  they  had  been  killed  and  some  of  them  scalped  by 
Indians.  Evidently  the  murders  were  committed  not  more 
than  three  hours  before  and  apparently  when  the  men 
stopped  for  dinner. 

I  did  not  waste  much  time  making  investigations  after 
seeing  that  they  were  all  dead,  but  hurried  onward  as 
fast  as  possible  under  a  dread  of  the  barbarians  who 
might  have  lingered  in  that  vicinity.  I  reported  the 
tragedy  to  the  authorities  immediately  after  my  arrival 
at  Eagle  Pass.  The  bodies  were  brought  in  that  night 
and  buried  the  following  day  in  the  public  graveyard. 
One  of  the  unfortunates  was  Felipe  Calabera,  a  nephew 
of  Jesus  Calabera,  who  now  lives  on  South  Laredo  Street 
in  front  of  Emil  Oppermann's  store.  If  the  Indians  were 
followed  I  cannot  recall  the  fact,  but  as  such  murders 
were  frequent,  and  as  it  was  not  troublesome  to  find  the 
perpetrators  at  any  time,  it  is  probable  that  no  action 
was  taken  to  have  them  punished. 

The  Indians  sometimes  were  very  bold,  and  on  one  of 
my  trips  to  Eagle  Pass,  in  1866,  they  exhibited  their 
adroitness  as  thieves  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  performance 
caused  the  good  people  of  that  town  considerable  incon- 
venience. It  happened  in  connection  with  a  patriotic 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  43 

occasion,  on  the  4th  of  July,  when  the  citizens  were  en- 
joying themselves  at  a  ball,  that  was  given  in  honor  of 
our  national  anniversary,  to  which  everybody  was  invited. 

The  abandoned  United  States  post,  situated  about 
half  a  mile  south  of  town,  that  is  known  in  history  as 
Fort  Duncan,  was  selected  as  a  suitable  place  for  the 
celebration,  and  .the  hospital,  with  a  floor  space  meas- 
uring about  '30  x  100  feet,  was  chosen  for  dancing  pur- 
poses. The  arrangements  were  all  perfected  by  Thomas 
B.  McManus,  the  customs-house  officer  at  Eagle  Pass, 
with  the  assistance  of  Henry  Bruhn,  of  San  Antonio, 
the  father-in-law  of  Otto  Evert  and  Ed  Galm  of  said 
city. 

The  Mexican  customs-house  officers  from  Piedras  Ne- 
gras,  with  their  families,  all  the  best  people  from  Eagle 
Pass,  and  the  settlements  along  the  river  were  in  attend- 
ance. Those  who  rode  horseback  secured  the  animals  to 
the  buildings  or  surrounding  trees  and  gave  them  no  fur- 
ther attention  after  joining  in  the  dancing  or  other  pleas- 
ures of  the  occasion.  No  apprehension  of  danger  was 
entertained,  and  nothing  occurred  to  mar  the  happiness 
of  the  evening  that  gave  life  to  the  old  fort  which  caused 
it  to  resound  with  joyous  mirth  until  the  early  tints  of 
dawn  admonished  the  participants  to  close  their  revels. 

Those  who  first  departed  returned  hastily  and  caused 
a  scene  of  excitement  by  announcing  that  all  the  horses 
had  disappeared  except  a  few  that  were  tied  to  the  gal- 
lery posts  of  the  building.  The  evidence  was  clear  that 
the  revelers  had  been  made  the  victims  of  an  Indian  raid, 
and  the  impudent  enterprise  was  shrewdly  executed.  The 
skulking  savages  only  took  advantage  of  the  distracting 
incidents  of  the  occasion,  and  without  interrupting  the 
festivities  quietly  left  them  to  return  to  their  homes  on 
foot.  They  were  less  merciful  to  two  poor  Mexicans  who 
left  Eagle  Pass  that  morning  on  an  ox-cart  with  the 
intention  of  hauling  wood,  who  were  killed  by  them  below 
town. 


44  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Such  audacity  was  exasperating,  and  Henry  Bruhn 
immediately  organized  a  party  which  started  in  pursuit 
of  the  Indians  with  a  view  to  their  chastisement.  They 
were  overtaken  at  El  Canado,  near  the  river,  about  eight 
miles  above  town,  and  a  fight  occurred  in  which  two  Mex- 
icans were  killed  before  the  Indians  retreated. 

Another  time,  when  returning  from  Eagle  Pass  in  the 
early  spring  of  1867,  Mr.  Black,  of  Uvalde,  and  Angel 
Torres,  of  San  Antonio,  accompanied  me  as  passengers, 
and  Pablo  Castro  drove  the  hack.  We  were  all  well  armed 
and  had  plenty  of  ammunition,  but  our  journey  was  not 
interrupted  until  we  reached  a  point  about  four  miles 
west  of  Turkey  Creek  on  the  Eagle  Pass  road.  We  were 
in  an  open  prairie,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
when  we  saw  a  party  of  eleven  Indians,  whose  movements 
indicated  that  we  were  in  for  a  fight,  and  we  prepared 
for  trouble. 

Perhaps  they  thought  it  would  be  an  easy  thing  to 
take  our  scalps,  and  they  charged  toward  us,  uttering 
their  terrific  war-whoops,  but  their  yells  only  frightened 
the  mules,  and  Pablo  had  all  he  could  do  to  keep  them 
from  running  away.  Black  and  myself  took  a  position  in 
front  of  the  animals,  but  Torres  stood  alone  near  a 
crooked  mesquite  tree,  and  we  waited  until  we  could  shoot 
with  accuracy. 

The  Indians  saw  that  the  mules  were  frightened,  and 
with  the  intention  of  stampeding  them,  they  strung  out 
in  a  circle,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant 
from  us,  in  which  they  rode  singly  about  fifty  yards 
apart.  The  movement  was  one  in  which  they  were  well 
trained,  because  the  distances  were  kept  remarkably  well. 
Their  actions  reminded  me  of  a  circus,  but  I  did  not 
look  at  them  with  the  same  sensations  of  pleasure.  The 
continual  series  of  war-whoops  and  yells  which  accom- 
panied their  performances  failed  to  make  the  mules  break 
away  before  they  were  well  secured,  and  our  uneasiness 
was  removed  on  that  account. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  45 

In  the  meantime  we  were  not  idle,  although  we  found 
it  was  impossible  to  do  any  effective  work  at  that  dis- 
tance, because  the  Indians  clung  to  the  opposite  side  of 
their  horses,  out  of  sight,  and  the  rapidly  moving  animals 
were  exposed  to  an  uncertain  aim.  Finally  one  of  the 
horses  dropped  in  his  tracks,  and  the  dismounted  Indian 
hastened  to  shelter  behind  a  tree  in  his  vicinity.  The 
range  was  open  before  him,  and  he  fired  several  shots  at 
Torres  without  effect  before  that  gentleman  realized  that 
he  was  being  used  as  a  target,  and  when  a  bullet  threw 
bark  in  his  face  from  a  limb  that  served  as  a  rest  for  his 
rifle,  he  abandoned  his  exposed  position  and  joined  Black 
and  myself  in  front  of  the  mules. 

The  instant  the  horse  fell  one  of  the  Indians  uttered  a 
peculiar  whoop  which  made  Torres  think  one  of  them  was 
wounded,  but  it  was  explained  when  they  gathered  near 
the  animal  and  proceeded  to  rescue  the  Indian.  After  he 
was  mounted  behind  one  of  them  they  sped  away,  utter- 
ing a  series  of  war-whoops  until  they  disappeared  over  a 
neighboring  hill. 

The  fight  only  lasted  about  fifteen  minutes,  in  which 
time  about  seventy-five  shots  were  fired,  and  the  only 
trophy  of  the  battle  was  a  dead  horse!  The  carcass  was 
examined  and  a  hole  was  found,  about  two  inches  below 
the  base  of  the  left  ear,  where  the  bullet  had  entered  that 
caused  his  death.  The  investigation  decided  a  question 
with  reference  to  who  fired  the  fatal  shot  by  awarding  the 
honor  to  Black  and  his  five-shot  Colts  rifle,  because  it  was 
evident  that  the  wound  was  not  made  by  a  Henry  rifle, 
the  weapon  carried  by  Torres  and  myself.  The  only  thing 
left  by  the  owner  that  might  have  served  as  a  memorial 
of  our  victory  was  a  piece  of  rope  around  the  beast's 
neck,  and  that  we  did  not  remove. 

Torres  conducted  an  established  business  in  both  Pie- 
dras  Negras  and  San  Antonio,  and  it  was  necessary  for 
him  to  visit  those  places  frequently,  consequently  he  was 
often  on  the  road,  and  generally  he  traveled  with  me. 


46  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

When  Henry  rifles,  that  chambered  eighteen  cartridges, 
were  first  put  on  the  market  they  cost  $95  apiece,  and 
Torres  and  myself  probably  owned  the  first  that  were 
brought  to  Texas.  We  ordered  them  through  Mr.  Hum- 
mel, of  San  Antonio,  the  father  of  Charles  Hummel,  now 
City  Treasurer  of  said  city,  who  still  keeps  up  the  busi- 
ness of  Hummel  &  Son.  This  was  our  first  opportunity 
to  test  them  in  battle,  and  perhaps  the  Indians,  who  knew 
nothing  about  them,  were  disconcerted  by  our  rapid  fire. 
We  were  much  pleased  with  them,  although  we  could  not 
brag  on  our  marksmanship  on  that  occasion,  but  it  was 
no  proof  that  Mr.  Black's  rifle  was  superior  because  it 
was  the  only  weapon  that  drew  blood,  or  that  Pablo's 
Spencer  carbine,  which  he  did  not  have  an  opportunity  to 
use,  was  not  just  as  good. 

The  Indians  we  encountered  belonged  to  the  same  tribe 
that  killed  John  Sanders  three  days  before.  He  resided 
on  the  Rio  Frio,  below  the  Eagle  Pass  road,  and  he  was 
a  good  friend  of  mine.  They  would  have  made  a  good 
haul  by  capturing  my  hack,  as  I  had  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars in  Mexican  silver  that  was  consigned  to  Goldfrank, 
Frank  &  Co.,  wholesale  dry-goods  merchants  in  San  An- 
tonio. 

Mr.  Black  was  afterwards  killed  by  Tom  Wall,  in 
Uvalde,  and  Angel  Torres,  who  was  an  uncle  of  Modesto 
Torres,  of  San  Antonio,  is  also  dead.  Pablo  Castro  after- 
wards joined  a  band  of  cattle  thieves  and  was  killed  near 
the  Rio  Grande. 

On  another  trip,  in  the  spring  of  1867,  Thomas  B. 
McManus  and  Sam  White,  of  Eagle  Pass,  and  Herman 
Schleuning,  now  in  Austin,  accompanied  me  to  San  An- 
tonio. We  proceeded  as  far  as  Ranchera  Creek,  about 
four  miles  east  of  the  present  site  of  Sabinal  station,  with- 
out meeting  with  another  adventure  of  any  kind.  At  that 
point,  where  we  suspected  no  danger,  we  were  very  much 
surprised,  about  nine  o'clock  at  night,  when  a  party  of  In- 
dians charged  out  of  the  darkness  in  our  direction.  Their 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  47 

frightful  war-whoops,  which  they  uttered  with  the  inten- 
tion of  scaring  our  mules,  were  startling,  and  we  expected 
an  attack,  but,  much  to  our  relief,  they  passed  some  dis- 
tance in  front  of  us,  after  changing  their  course,  and 
soon  disappeared.  No  shots  were  fired  on  either  side, 
partly  because  they  were  too  far  away,  but  really  their 
movements  were  so  rapid  there  was  no  chance  for  a  fight 
and  we  were  very  well  satisfied  to  see  them  go. 

I  had  another  and  worse  fright  when  on  my  way  to 
Eagle  Pass,  that  also  occurred  in  1867.  I  was  traveling 
alone  on  that  trip,  and  after  changing  mules  at  Chichon 
station,  twenty-seven  miles  east  of  Eagle  Pass,  had  pro- 
ceeded about  six  miles,  when  I  saw  a  dust  rising  about  two 
miles  away,  to  the  left  of  the  road,  beyond  a  hill  that 
obstructed  my  view.  The  time  was  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  and  I  knew  that  the  cloud  of  dust  was 
raised  by  something  moving  in  my  direction  under  cover 
of  the  hill.  My  impression  was  that  they  were  Indians, 
and  I  waited  until  they  appeared  on  the  brow  of  the 
naked  elevation  more  than  a  mile  distant.  I  then  saw 
ten  men  driving  a  herd  of  loose  horses  and  mules,  and 
my  fears  convinced  me  that  my  first  impressions  were  cor- 
rect. 

I  realized  the  danger  of  my  situation  and  could  see  no 
chance  for  me  to  get  out  of  their  way.  With  the  deter- 
mination to  defend  myself  as  best  I  could,  I  hurried  my 
team  to  a  lone  mesquite  tree,  that  stood  about  one  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  road,  and  tied  them  to  it  with  a 
heavy  rope  that  I  always  carried  for  emergencies.  As 
the  mules  were  skittish  when  anyone  got  in  front  of  them, 
it  was  necessary  to  approach  them  with  a  great  deal  of 
care,  and  I  could  ill  afford  to  spare  the  time  it  took  to 
secure  them.  I  then  prepared  to  protect  myself  against 
the  approaching  enemy  with  my  Henry  rifle  and  an  abun- 
dant, supply  of  cartridges. 

The  herd  and  its  drivers  were  then  much  nearer  and 
could  be  seen  more  distinctly.  Much  to  my  gratification 


48  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

I  perceived  that  the  herd  was  driven  by  Mexicans,  and 
as  they  crossed  the  road  about  five  hundred  yards  behind 
me  they  passed  without  noticing  me.  Perhaps  the  ani- 
mals had  been  stolen  and  evidently  they  were  smuggled 
across  the  Rio  Grande  somewhere  between  Laredo  and 
Eagle  Pass. 

Rattlesnakes  were  found  in  great  numbers  in  west 
Texas  and  they  were  enemies  that  had  to  be  guarded 
against  at  all  times.  Wild  turkeys  always  show  a  great 
antipathy  to  them  and  never  fail  to  make  a  deadly  and 
persistent  attack  until  the  reptile  is  destroyed.  An  oppor- 
tunity to  witness  such  conflicts  is  seldom  offered,  there- 
fore, I  will  notice  one  instance  of  the  kind  that  came 
under  my  observation. 

I  was  traveling  the  road  near  Uvalde  when  I  saw  a 
large  flock  of  wild  turkeys  in  an  open  glade  near  the 
highway.  I  stopped  when  I  saw  the  gobblers  had  con- 
gregated in  a  circle  where  they  seemed  to  be  fighting, 
but  I  soon  perceived  that  they  were  killing  a  large  rattle- 
snake. One  after  the  other  would  spring  into  the  air  in 
rapid  succession  and  come  down  on  the  reptile,  which  they 
struck  a  hard  blow  with  one  wing  that  might  have  been 
heard  quite  a  distance.  Apparently  all  the  gobblers  took 
part  in  the  fracas,  and  they  appeared  to  be  greatly  ex- 
cited, but  the  hens  fed  quietly  in  the  vicinity  and  seemed 
to  be  indifferent  to  what  was  going  on. 

I  watched  them  about  ten  minutes  before  they  observed 
my  presence  and  became  alarmed.  After  they  disap- 
peared in  the  brush  I  approached  the  place  and  found 
the  snake  coiled  up  and  almost  dead.  Evidently  the 
gobblers  had  been  engaged  in  killing  him  for  some  time 
before  I  appeared  on  the  scene,  and  if  they  had  not  been 
disturbed  the  victim  would  have  provided  a  feast  for  the 
whole  flock,  because  it  was  their  custom  to  eat  the  snakes 
killed  in  that  way. 

Deer  are  equally  prejudiced  against  rattlesnakes  and 
invariably  attack  them  in  favorable  localities.  Nature 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  49 

has  made  them  enemies,  and  it  is  said  that  when  an  en- 
counter is  unavoidable,  with  no  available  means  of  escape, 
the  snake  appreciates  the  danger;  also  that  it  makes  no 
effort  to  strike,  but  suffers  a  collapse  under  an  instinc- 
tive fear  which  prompts  it  to  submit  to  its  fate  with  its 
head  hid  beneath  the  coils  of  its  body,  which  are  closely 
drawn  together. 

The  deer  springs  from  a  safe  distance  into  the  air 
with  its  four  feet  brought  together,  and  it  comes  down 
on  the  snake  with  its  sharp  pointed  hoofs  which  cut  like 
a  knife.  The  movements  are  rapid  and  often  repeated 
until  the  rattler  is  mangled  into  a  shapeless  mass.  I  have 
seen  places  where  snakes  had  been  killed  by  deer,  but 
have  never  witnessed  the  performance.  The  marks  of 
their  sharp  hoofs  showed  in  the  hard  beaten  ground  and 
the  bones  of  their  victims  were  in  evidence. 

Highwaymen  in  Mexico  are  called  ladrones,  or  robbers. 
They  usually  frequented  the  frontier,  but  other  parts  of 
the  country  were  often  infested  by  them  before  they  were 
finally  suppressed  by  the  government.  Generally  they 
were  a  select  body  of  men  of  good  appearance,  who  wore 
broad-brimmed  felt  hats  elaborately  embroidered  with  sil- 
ver and  gold  thread,  and  dressed  in  the  regular  riding 
costume  that  was  profusely  ornamented  with  silver  buttons 
in  front,  on  the  sleeves,  and  down  the  trousers.  Their 
horses  were  the  best  that  the  country  afforded,  and  silver 
mountings  were  lavishly  displayed  on  their  saddles  and 
bridles. 

When  a  band  of  ladrones  decided  to  hold  up  a  stage, 
after  ascertaining  that  it  was  conveying  a  large  sum  of 
money  or  on  other  occasions,  they  selected  an  uninhab- 
ited region  at  a  point  where  it  was  necessary  for  the 
vehicle  to  ascend  a  steep  hill,  and  concealed  themselves 
on  both  sides  of  the  road  until  it  approached.  The  first 
intimation  of  their  presence  was  given  by  one  of  the 
gang,  who  ordered  the  driver  to  stop,  when  the  others 
showed  themselves  and  the  spokesman  made  known  his 


50  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

intentions  to  the  passengers.  Pointing  to  his  companions, 
who  silently  awaited  the  result  of  the  conference,  he  ex- 
plained that  it  would  be  folly  to  offer  resistance,  as  they 
were  ready  to  enforce  his  demands.  With  the  greatest 
politeness  he  requested  them  to  pass  out  their  money,  and 
when  they  complied  he  placed  it  all  together  on  the  road- 
side. Force  was  rarely  used  in  such  cases,  and  I  never 
heard  of  an  instance  when  the  pockets  of  passengers 
were  searched.  The  money  wanted  was  in  sacks  and 
generally  amounted  to  large  sums  in  silver  that  could  not 
be  concealed. 

When  Major  Porter's  brother  was  robbed  by  ladrones 
on  the  national  stage  line  near  Monterey,  in  1868,  no 
resistance  was  offered;  the  passengers  delivered  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  to  one  man,  who  was  in  a  short  distance 
of  his  companions.  After  securing  his  treasure  he  or- 
dered the  driver  to  proceed  on  his  journey. 

I  was  never  molested  by  ladrones  when  staging  in  that 
country,  and  only  know  of  one  occasion  when  I  believed 
they  intended  to  hold  me  up.  It  happened  near  Palo 
Blanco  ranch,  twenty-five  miles  northeast  of  Salinas.  Vic- 
toria, where  ten  or  twelve  men  were  lined  up  on  both  sides 
of  the  road.  I  was  riding  on  the  outside  with  my  driver 
and  escort  when  I  saw  them.  The  speed  of  the  team  was 
checked  and  I  called  the  attention  of  my  passengers  in- 
side the  stage  to  the  suspicious  circumstance.  We  all 
recognized  them  as  regular  ladrones  by  their  dress,  etc., 
which  corresponded  with  the  general  description  I  have 
given,  and  no  time  was  lost  in  getting  our  weapons  ready 
to  meet  them.  The  team  was  in  a  walk  when  we  passed 
between  them,  but  evidently,  seeing  that  we  were  pre- 
pared to  offer  resistance,  they  were  content  to  extend  to 
us  their  friendly  greetings.  My  passengers  were  Daniel 
Wueste  of  Eagle  Pass,  Carlos  Sada  of  Monterey,  Pedro 
Morales,  customs-house  officer  at  Piedras  Negras,  and  two 
Mexican  army  officers. 

I  only  know  of  three  stage  robberies  that  occurred  in 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  51 

Mexico  when  I  was  in  the  business.  One  took  place 
within  five  and  another  in  less  than  ten  miles  of  Mon- 
terey, on  the  road  leading  from  Saltillo;  and  the  other 
was  forty  miles  from  Monterey,  on  the  Matamoras  road 
near  Lenares.  The  money  thus  obtained,  when  added 
together,  amounted  to  a  large  sum,  and  it  was  all  secured 
without  a  drop  of  blood  being  shed. 


CHAPTER    VI 

THE  fact  is  well  known  that  smuggling  has  always 
been  conducted  along  the  borders  between  the  two  re- 
publics, but  in  earlier  times  it  was  practiced  with  greater 
impunity  than  at  present.  There  were  two  classes  of 
smugglers  then,  as  there  are  now,  who  operated  according 
to  their  means  and  influence.  Those  who  could  command 
both  met  with  no  difficulty  in  advancing  their  measures 
with  the  aid  of  friendly  officials  who  boldly  passed  large 
transactions  through  the  doors  of  the  customs-house  at 
a  small  expense.  On  the  other  hand,  persons  without 
means  or  patronage  and  with  only  a  bold  and  enterpris- 
ing spirit  to  sustain  them  were  compelled  to  resort  to 
secret  methods  when  conducting  the  same  kind  of  business 
on  a  small  scale.  Much  trading  was  done  in  that  way 
with  goods  and  animals  that  were  acquired  in  legitimate 
transactions  and  the  tariff  due  the  governments  was  the 
only  loss  sustained ;  but  a  much  more  extensive  smuggling 
business  was  done  by  unscrupulous  persons  with  property 
that  was  feloniously  acquired.  This  class  of  thieves  gen- 
erally were  organized  to  operate  in  gangs  on  both  sides 
of  the  river  and  acted  in  collusion  with  each  other  by 
exchanging  stolen  property  brought  from  Mexico  for 
other  property  acquired  in  a  like  manner  in  Texas.  In 
that  way  a  large  number  of  animals  of  all  kinds  were 
transferred  from  one  side  of  the  Rio  Grande  to  the  other 
with  little  risk  of  detection. 

One  of  the  most  notorious  characters  that  was  ever 
engaged  in  such  practices  was  Manuel  Telamantes,  a 
Mexican,  whose  home  was  in  Eagle  Pass.  At  one  time 
his  character  was  held  in  the  highest  estimation  and  he 

52 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  53 

exerted  a  great  influence  among  Americans.  I  was  well 
acquainted  with  him,  and  at  that  time,  in  1866,  he  was 
generally  liked  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  also  looked 
upon  as  a  good  and  honest  citizen  until  it  was  discovered 
that  he  was  a  leader  of  an  organized  gang  of  thieves  and 
smugglers  that  had  been  in  existence  for  years. 

He  was  a  young  and  handsome  fellow  who  dressed  well 
and  made  a  respectable  appearance;  he  was  also  liberal 
with  his  means  and  conducted  himself  properly ;  although 
at  frequent  intervals  he  absented  himself  for  a  short  time 
and  always  returned  with  large  sums  of  money,  his  busi- 
ness was  not  suspected,  but  after  his  character  was  ex- 
posed it  became  known  that  his  secret  expeditions  were 
made  to  meet  his  confederates  and  to  receive  his  share  of 
the  spoils. 

His  career  was  prolonged  until  1879,  when  it  was  made 
unsafe  to  engage  in  such  enterprises,  and  his,  like  many 
others  under  similar  circumstances,  was  closed  by  a  vio- 
lent death.  The  particulars  relating  to  the  case,  as  they 
were  represented  to  me,  show  that  he  entered  Texas  with 
a  large  herd  of  horses  and  mules,  which  were  stolen  in 
Mexico,  and  they  were  traded  for  beeves  that  had  been 
stolen  from  ranchmen  by  associates  in  Texas.  The  thieves 
who  received  the  horses  and  mules  made  good  their  es- 
cape, but  Telamantes  and  his  men  with  the  cattle  were 
pursued  until  overtaken  between  Fort  Clark  and  the  Rio 
Grande.  The  beeves  were  recovered,  and  Telamantes  and 
his  men  were  captured  and  hung. 

I  do  not  doubt  but  that  he  had  earned  his  fate,  but 
when  I  recalled  his  many  good  qualities  I  could  not  help 
feeling  regret  that  he  had  come  to  such  an  end.  I  saw 
him  last  in  1877,  in  San  Antonio,  when  he  offered  to  sell 
me  one  hundred  and  fifty  choice  mules,  which  were  con- 
cealed somewhere  in  the  mountains  near  Devil's  River. 
He  proposed  to  let  me  have  the  entire  lot  at  a  bargain, 
but  I  declined  his  offer.  He  was  a  bold  fellow,  and  if  he 
was  a  thief  he  took  desperate  chances  in  enterprises  that 


54  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

required  brains  that  gave  him  control  over  men.  He 
would  have  scorned  the  methods  practiced  by  common 
thieves  and  highwaymen  like  that  once  attempted  against 
me. 

The  incident  occurred  in  1867,  when  I  was  returning 
from  Eagle  Pass  and  after  I  had  delivered  the  Castro- 
ville  mail-sack  to  Mr.  John  Vanze,  the  postmaster.  A  few 
minutes  later  he  returned  with  the  mail-pouch  for  San 
Antonio,  and  I  paid  him  a  twenty-dollar  gold  piece  that 
John  Kenedy,  of  Sabinal,  had  requested  me  to  give  him. 
I  had  taken  it  from  a  sack  that  contained  about  fifty 
dollars  in  Mexican  silver,  which  I  returned  to  its  proper 
place  under  the  seat  during  his  absence. 

I  was  about  to  continue  my  journey  when  two  men 
advanced  and  engaged  two  seats  in  my  hack  to  San  An- 
tonio, for  which  they  paid  me  five  dollars.  I  had  noticed 
them  at  the  post  office  when  I  exposed  my  money  bag, 
and,  doubtless,  they  supposed  the  coin  was  all  in  gold, 
when  I  took  the  gold  piece  from  it,  which  they  saw. 
There  was  nothing  suspicious  in  their  appearance,  and  I 
was  pleased  to  have  their  company. 

The  distance  from  Castroville  to  my  father's  house, 
where  I  changed  my  team,  was  only  four  miles,  and  we 
passed  an  unusual  number  of  people  on  the  way.  Soon 
after  starting  an  unaccountable  feeling  caused  me  to 
form  an  unfavorable  opinion  of  my  passengers  and  made 
me  suspect  that  they  were  not  all  right,  and  the  sequel 
will  show  that  my  impressions  were  correct. 

While  the  horses  were  being  changed  I  greased  the 
axles  of  my  hack  as  usual,  and  when  through  the  four- 
pound  monkey-wrench  which  I  used  was  returned  to  the 
tool-box  in  front.  When  ready  to  start  I  noticed  that 
the  cushion  of  the  rear  seat,  which  my  passengers  were 
waiting  to  occupy,  did  not  fit  properly,  and  I  reached 
over  to  straighten  it.  As  I  raised  the  right-hand  end  I 
saw  under  it  the  monkey-wrench  that  I  had  replaced  in 
its  proper  receptacle  a  half-hour  before, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  55 

In  the  meantime  no  one  but  the  two  men  had  been 
near  the  vehicle,  and  I  was  convinced  that  they  had  placed 
the  wrench  in  that  place  with  murderous  intentions.  Evi- 
dently they  designed  using  it  as  a  weapon  in  a  plan  to 
kill  and  rob  me,  and  I  did  not  hesitate  to  charge  them 
with  the  cowardly  scheme.  They  denied  having  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  it,  but  I  entertained  contrary  convic- 
tions and  ordered  them  to  leave  the  yard.  They  obeyed 
me  without  uttering  another  word,  but  my  father,  who 
was  holding  my  team,  called  them  back  and  insisted  that 
I  should  return  them  the  five  dollars  they  had  paid  me. 
He  said  the  poor  fellows  might  need  it,  and  I  obeyed 
him,  perhaps  reluctantly,  because,  naturally,  I  felt  no 
sympathy  for  them.  Later  I  was  told  that  they  re- 
turned immediately  to  Castroville,  and  I  afterwards 
learned  that  they  were  deserters  from  the  United  States 
army. 

The  dangers  I  confronted  in  my  travels  were  often 
compensated  by  pleasant  entertainments  at  the  end  of 
my  journey;  and  I  recall  one  in  which  I  took  part  that 
had  no  Indians  or  robbers  connected  with  it,  like  those 
I  have  noticed.  The  occasion  was  a  grand  ball  that  was 
given  about  the  latter  part  of  June,  1867,  in  the  customs- 
house  at  Piedras  Negras,  to  celebrate  the  termination  of 
the  war  that  closed  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Maximilian 
in  Mexico.  All  foreigners  in  Eagle  Pass  were  invited,  and 
many,  including  Thomas  B.  McManus,  Charley  Groos 
and  myself,  were  in  attendance,  together  with  all  the  best 
people  in  that  part  of  the  country.  My  impression  is 
that  the  news  of  Maximilian's  executon,  which  took  place 
on  the  19th  of  June,  had  not  been  received,  and  the  ball 
was  an  expression  of  joy  on  account  of  the  restoration  of 
the  republic. 

My  information  with  reference  to  that  tragic  event 
was  acquired,  principally,  from  individuals  who  partici- 
pated in  the  war,  and  I  will  relate  a  few  facts  connected 
with  the  subject  that  were  communicated  by  Colonel 


56  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Morales  of  the  Mexican  army.  He  spoke  of  the  great 
sympathy  of  the  people  for  Maximilian,  after  he  was 
condemned  to  death,  and  particularly  of  its  manifestation 
by  five  hundred  of  the  most  respectable  ladies  in  the  City 
of  Mexico,  who  drew  up  an  appeal  for  clemency.  Dressed 
in  black  robes,  the  long  procession  presented  themselves 
before  the  military  tribunal  with  the  petition  for  the  em- 
peror's pardon ;  but  it  was  useless ;  his  fate  was  sealed 
and  he  was  beyond  the  hope  of  mercy. 

He  witnessed  the  execution  of  Maximilian,  Mejia,  and 
Miramon,  and  his  relation  of  the  facts  was  very  im- 
pressive. They  were  taken  to  a  hill  outside  of  the  city 
of  Queretaro  by  the  platoons  of  soldiers  that  were  de- 
tailed to  execute  them.  When  drawn  up  in  line  Maxi- 
milian advanced  and  presented  each  of  the  firing  party 
a  gold  doubloon,  with  the  request  that  they  would  take 
good  aim  until  he  gave  them  the  signal  to  fire  by  re- 
moving his  hand  from  his  breast.  After  resuming  his 
position  he  eulogized  his  generals  and  resigned  to  them 
the  honor  of  dying  first.  After  they  fell  he  calmly  con- 
fronted the  death  that  awaited  him  and  met  it  with  a 
fearlessness  that  became  him.  In  after  years  I  saw  the 
spot  in  the  Cathedral  of  Mexico  where  the  emperor  and 
empress  stood  in  all  their  pride  and  glory  when  crowned, 
and,  as  I  thought  of  their  sad  fate  I  could  see  the  chapel 
that  marks  the  place  where  he  and  his  generals  were 
executed. 

Generals  Mejia  and  Miramon  were  gallant  and  com- 
petent officers  in  whom  the  emperor  placed  implicit  con- 
fidence and  they  proved  themselves  worthy  of  his  trust, 
but  another,  in  whom  he  confided  to  an  equal  extent,  be- 
trayed him.  The  "  foreign  legion,"  to  whom  was  en- 
trusted the  duty  of  sustaining  his  throne,  was  composed 
of  criminals  taken  from  the  prisons  of  Europe  with  the 
design  of  getting  rid  of  them  and  were  utterly  unreliable 
as  soldiers.  I  was  told  by  responsible  Mexican  officers  of 
both  armies  that  the  legion  wfts  a  band  of  robbers  who 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  57 

plundered  indiscriminately  and  that  the  regulars  of  the 
French  army  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  them.  All 
the  facts  show  that  Maximilian  was  the  victim  of  a  con- 
spiracy and  his  fate  was  regretted  all  over  the  civilized 
world. 

I  only  met  with  one  accident  during  the  eighteen 
months  of  travel  while  conducting  my  mail  route,  and 
that  was  not  serious.  It  happened  at  Chichon,  where  I 
stopped  for  dinner  with  my  three  passengers,  and  to 
change  my  team.  I  had  agreed  to  break  a  pair  of  wild 
mules  for  Domingo,  the  ranchman,  and  had  been  working 
them  for  about  three  months,  from  one  station  to  the  next, 
but  every  time  they  would  try  to  run  away,  though  I 
always  got  the  best  of  them  by  allowing  them  to  run, 
after  getting  them  in  the  road,  until  they  tired  them- 
selves down.  I  had  them  hitched  up  on  this  trip,  and  a 
man  held  them  until  we  were  all  seated  in  the  ambulance. 
When  he  turned  loose  the  unmanageable  brutes,  they 
headed  for  a  high  and  strongly  built  picket  fence,  and 
before  I  could  turn  them,  the  hack  came  in  violent  col- 
lision with  the  posts.  In  my  efforts  to  hold  them  I  was 
badly  hurt  by  being  pulled  from  the  seat,  and  as  the 
vehicle  was  smashed,  it  was  necessary  to  procure  another 
conveyance  before  we  could  proceed.  The  nearest  place 
where  one  could  be  had  was  Eagle  Pass,  but  as  the  In- 
dians were  raiding  in  that  part  of  the  country,  no  one  at 
the  station  would  undertake  the  chances  of  making  the 
ride  for  love  or  money. 

When  troubles  accumulate  to  a  certain  point  something 
generally  happens  that  improves  the  situation,  and  in 
our  case  the  emergency  was  met  by  Henry  Shane,  a 
friend  of  mine,  who  lived  in  that  vicinity.  His  offer  of 
assistance  was  accepted,  and  he  started  for  Eagle  Pass 
about  one  o'clock  on  his  favorite  saddle  horse.  The  dis- 
tance of  twenty-seven  miles  was  ridden  and  the  return 
trip  with  an  ambulance  and  two  horses,  that  he  got  from 
Albert  Tuerpe,  was  made  in  about  eleven  hours.  Imme- 


58  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

diately  after  his  arrival  we  hitched  up  the  same  wild 
mules,  and  without  further  mishap  arrived  at  Eagle  Pass 
about  daylight.  I  started  back  the  same  morning,  in  the 
borrowed  vehicle,  about  eight  o'clock,  as  usual,  and  after 
driving  about  fifteen  miles  I  met  Mr.  Shane  with  the 
broken  ambulance,  driving  the  horses  he  had  gotten  from 
Albert  Tuerpe.  He  had  added  to  my  obligations  by  fol- 
lowing me  with  it,  and  it  was  taken  to  the  government 
post,  at  Fort  Duncan,  which  had  been  established  a  short 
time  before,  where  it  was  repaired  in  the  shop  there,  in 
a  most  suitable  manner,  without  one  cent  of  charges. 

The  following  week  when  I  returned  from  San  Antonio 
I  met  Mr.  Shane  and  asked  him  what  I  owed  him  for  his 
services  and  trouble,  but  he  disposed  of  the  subject  by 
saying,  "  Nothing ;  I  was  very  glad  that  I  was  able  to 
help  you  when  you  were  in  need."  His  generosity  had 
been  displayed  by  traveling  fifty-four  miles  over  a  dan- 
gerous road  at  the  risk  of  his  life  when  no  one  else  would 
take  the  chances. f  He  had  left  his  horse  in  Eagle  Pass 
and  assumed  the  responsibility  of  taking  the  conveyance 
through  and  his  return,  making  a  total  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  eight  miles,  together  with  all  the  incidental 
troubles  and  expenses  attached,  all  on  my  account  and 
with  no  expectation  of  reward. 

There  is  an  old  and  true  saying  that  "  a  friend  in 
need  is  a  friend  indeed,"  and  Mr.  Shane's  practical  illus- 
tration of  the  fact  was  demonstrated  in  a  manner  that 
was  a  test  which  few  persons  have  an  opportunity  to 
apply.  I  have  always  felt  grateful  towards  him  for  his 
act  of  kindness  and  will  never  cease  to  entertain  the 
warmest  friendship  for  him  while  I  live,  because  I  know 
he  is  an  honest  and  worthy  man. 

I  was  under  other  obligations  to  him  afterwards,  and 
at  one  time  especially  when  he  assisted  in  recovering  my 
stage  mules  that  were  driven  off  by  the  Indians,  with 
John  Kennedy's  horses  from  the  ranch.  He  went  with 
John  and  Ross  Kennedy  and  their  men  in  pursuit  until 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  59 

they  overtook  them  on  the  Rio  Frio,  eight  miles  east  of 
Uvalde,  near  General  Knox's  ranch. 

Henry  Shane  is  now  about  seventy-three  years  of  age 
and  he  resides  on  his  ranch  five  miles  below  Sabinal  Sta- 
tion, on  Sabinal  Creek,  with  pleasant  surroundings  and 
in  good  circumstances.  He  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
are  acquainted  with  his  generous  nature  and  have  knowl- 
edge of  his  general  character.  He  is  well  known  through- 
out west  Texas,  where  his  life  has  been  spent,  and  also 
in  San  Antonio,  where  he  has  many  friends,  and  among 
them  Colonel  C.  C.  Gibbs  is  one  of  long  standing. 

His  early  life  was  spent  on  the  frontier  of  Texas, 
where  he  had  many  experiences,  and  the  stories  he  could 
relate  about  his  encounters  with  wild  Indians  would  be 
interesting;  but  he  rarely  speaks  of  them,  and  he  had 
one  that  he  never  talks  about.  It  occurred  in  a  fight 
when  in  pursuit  of  Indian  raiders,  on  Sabinal  Creek,  after 
his  ammunition  was  exhausted.  When  the  fact  was  dis- 
covered he  was  close  to  an  Indian  who  was  also  without 
ammunition,  but  both  were  equally  brave,  and  they  rushed 
at  each  other  with  clubbed  guns.  Those  who  witnessed 
the  fight  say  that  Mr.  Shane  was  worsted  in  the  fight  by 
a  lick  on  one  side  of  his  head  which  brought  him  to  the 
ground,  and  he  rolled  down  the  creek  bank.  Other  par- 
ticulars are  forgotten,  but  Mr.  Shane  confesses  that  it 
was  the  hardest  fight  he  ever  had  in  his  life.  In  later 
years  he  served  during  the  Civil  War  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Confederate  Army,  and  in  that  connection  he  sustained 
his  reputation  for  courage  and  fidelity  to  duty  that  dis- 
tinguished his  previous  career  as  a  worthy  citizen  on  the 
borders  of  civilization,  but  not  more  honorably  than  he 
has  since  done  in  private  life. 


CHAPTER    VII 

CAPTAIN  ADOLPH  MUENZENBERGER  and  myself  estab- 
lished the  first  stage  line  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  in  August,  1867,  under  the  firm  name  of  A. 
Santleben  &  Company.  The  corporation  was  organized 
on  August  1,  as  a  private  enterprise,  for  the  purpose  of 
transporting  passengers,  and,  incidentally,  to  convey  let- 
ters, money,  and  other  packages  suitable  for  the  capacity 
of  the  stage.  The  institution  was  licensed  under  the  gen- 
eral laws  of  the  State  of  Texas  and  those  of  Mexico,  but 
no  subsidies  were  granted,  and  the  business  was  conducted 
at  the  risk  and  expense  of  the  company.  The  facts  to 
be  given  will  show  that,  throughout  its  continuance,  the 
line  was  liberally  patronized  and  was  highly  appreciated 
by  the  public  because  of  its  great  convenience. 

The  success  of  the  enterprise  was  assured  beforehand 
through  special  privileges  granted  by  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernment, which  would  not,  or  could  not,  be  allowed  under 
existing  laws.  The  most  important  of  these  concessions 
was  an  exemption  from  tariff  charges  on  everything  ex- 
cept money,  on  which  a  municipal  duty  of  two  per  cent, 
was  collected  in  Monterey  and  an  export  duty  of  ten  per 
cent,  was  exacted  by  the  customs  officials  at  Piedras 
Negras.  During  the  two  years  that  the  line  was  operated 
the  contents  of  the  coach  was  never  investigated  nor  was 
it  ever  delayed  on  any  occasion  by  government  officials 
on  either  side  of  the  Rio  Grande.  Thomas  B.  McManus, 
who  was  in  charge  of  the  United  States  customs-house  in 
Eagle  Pass,  and  the  Mexican  customs  officials  in  Piedras 
Negras,  Nicholas  Gresanta,  and  his  assistant,  Pedro  Mo- 
rales, were  all  my  intimate  friends  whose  personal  influ- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  61 

ence  and  official  powers  were  exercised  in  the  interest  of 
the  line  whenever  an  opportunity  offered. 

Our  stage  as  a  mail  carrier  was  guaranteed  the  same 
privileges  and  protection  as  those  granted  the  general 
mail  lines  in  Mexico;  but  otherwise  it  had  no  connection 
with  the  postal  department,  as  the  right  to  levy  our  own 
postage  and  collect  it  in  advance,  for  the  company's  ben- 
efit, was  conceded  to  us.  Our  company  used  a  metal 
stamp  that  was  furnished  by  the  Mexican  government, 
on  which  were  the  numerals  "  &5,"  with  the  words  "  Re- 
publica  Mexicana  "  in  a  circle  around  them,  which  the 
postal  department  used  until  stamps  were  introduced  in 
1870;  but  no  account  of  our  mail  transactions  was  re- 
quired. The  only  agreement  we  had  with  the  govern- 
ment stipulated  that  all  letters  handled  by  us  might  be 
weighed,  and  after  a  payment  of  twenty-five  cents  an 
ounce  was  exacted,  the  stamp  should  be  applied  once  for 
each  ounce.  No  other  government  stamp  was  placed  on 
letters  brought  by  us  from  Mexico,  but  it  was  necessary 
for  all  letters  sent  to  the  United  States  to  carry  stamps 
of  that  government,  at  the  rate  of  five  cents  for  each 
ounce  after  crossing  the  border.  Frequently  two  dollars 
for  postage  was  paid  on  one  letter,  and  these  carried 
eight  impressions  of  our  stamp,  in  addition  to  the  United 
States  postage.  Messrs.  Weber  and  Ulrich  were  one  of 
several  firms  in  Monterey,  who  paid  as  much  or  more  on 
letters  sent  through  us  to  the  United  States.  On  many 
of  our  trips  as  much  as  fifty  dollars  was  realized  on  mail 
matter  alone,  that  was  collected  at  points  along  the 
route. 

Besides  passengers  and  their  baggage,  we  carried  all 
kinds  of  paying  freight,  but  mostly  money,  and  occa- 
sionally we  transported  live-stock,  such  as  game  chickens 
and  blooded  sheep.  The  games  were  known  as  Guieo  de 
Seguin,  and  they  had  a  great  reputation  on  account  of 
their  fighting  qualities,  in  which  respect  they  resembled 
the  people  in  that  region.  They  were  raised  mostly  in 


62  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Seguin,  and  some  of  them  were  billed  over  our  route  to 
the  City  of  Mexico,  where  they  were  highly  prized  by 
chicken  fighters.  Two  were  placed  in  a  coop  divided  into 
two  apartments,  and  our  freight  charge  was  twenty-five 
dollars.  One  pair  of  Merino  lambs  was  conveyed  on  the 
stage  to  Monterey,  that  Charles  Griesenbeck  consigned 
to  Governor  Maduro,  ex-governor  of  Coahuila.  They 
were  crated,  and  the  charges  amounted  to  fifty  dollars. 

When  not  too  heavily  loaded,  we  imported  as  many  as 
two  thousand  choice  oranges,  which  brought  us  one  hun- 
dred dollars  per  thousand  in  San  Antonio  at  wholesale; 
also,  chili  pepper,  that  we  sold  at  one  dollar  per  pound 
wholesale,  and  other  things  of  equal  value.  Our  return 
freight  to  Mexico  consisted  mostly  of  eatables,  which  we 
also  sold  at  wholesale  prices.  We  often  took  as  much  as 
two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  hams,  and  sold  them  at 
one  dollar  a  pound;  and  twice  a  month  we  bought  from 
Joe  Ney,  at  D'Hanis,  two  hundred  pounds  of  butter,  in 
four  cans,  that  was  placed  under  the  driver's  seat,  for 
which  our  customers  paid  us  one  dollar  a  pound;  they 
retailed  it  at  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents.  One  of  our  cus- 
tomers was  Mrs.  Russel,  now  Mrs.  Cloudon,  the  mother- 
in-law  of  Mr.  Socia,  the  cotton-buyer,  who  conducted  a 
bakery  and  confectionery  store  in  Monterey.  Our  stage 
fare  from  San  Antonio  to  Monterey  was  $75.00. 

We  often  carried  large  sums  of  Mexican-  money  out  of 
the  country,  and  charged  three  per  cent,  for  freighting  it 
to  San  Antonio,  which,  when  added  to  the  twelve  per  cent, 
export  duties,  increased  the  expense  to  fifteen  per  cent. 
Our  charge  was  less  than  those  formerly  prevailing  and 
they  were  reduced  by  the  premium  allowed  on  Mexican 
silver  on  account  of  its  purity.  New  York  drafts  then 
commanded  a  premium,  ranging  as  high  as  twenty  per 
cent.,  and  there  was  always  a  demand  for  them  in  Mon- 
terey. The  Texas  firms  that  transacted  the  largest  busi- 
ness with  merchants  in  Mexico,  at  that  period,  were 
Messrs.  Halff  &  Bro.,  Goldfrank,  Frank  &  Co.,  and  F. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  63 

Groos  &  Co.,  all  of  San  Antonio,  and  our  stage  often 
brought  for  them  as  much  as  twenty  thousand  dollars 
from  that  country.  Not  one  cent  was  ever  lost  that  was 
entrusted  to  our  care,  and  we  established  a  confidence 
that  was  upheld  by  our  company  throughout  its  ca- 
reer. 

After  the  close  of  the  French  war,  we  contracted  with 
Philipe  Naranjo,  a  brother  of  General  Naranjo  of  the 
Mexican  army,  to  deliver  two  thousand  Minea  rifles  to 
the  national  government.  We  found  a  lot  of  second- 
hand guns  in  New  Orleans  that  had  been  used  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  we  bought  the  required  number  at  auction,  for 
eighteen  hundred  dollars,  or  less  than  a  dollar  apiece. 
They  were  brought  to  San  Antonio  and  placed  in  Captain 
Muenzenberger's  store,  on  West  Commerce  Street,  where 
the  Washington  Theater  now  stands.  Only  five  hundred 
were  delivered  before  the  building,  including  the  other 
rifles,  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  we  suffered  a  total  loss 
because  we  carried  no  insurance,  but  the  profit  on  those 
that  were  sold  more  than  covered  our  entire  outlay. 

We  drove  six  animals  to  the  coach  in  Texas,  and  in 
Mexico  eight,  on  account  of  the  heavy  traffic.  The  coach 
weighed  about  three  thousand  pounds,  and  was  sub- 
stantially built,  with  a  capacity  for  carrying  about  four 
thousand  pounds.  The  wood  used  in  its  construction  was 
the  choicest  hickory,  and  all  the  iron  work  was  the  best 
quality  of  steel.  The  spindles  of  the  steel  axles  were  two 
and  a  half  inches  thick  and  about  fourteen  inches  long. 
The  cushions  were  upholstered  on  coiled  steel  springs, 
with  horse-hair  filling,  and  covered  with  the  best  quality 
of  brown  calf-skin  leather,  consequently  they  were  very 
expensive.  The  body  was  swung  on  leather  braces  and 
it  was  capable  of  seating  eighteen  average  sized  per- 
sons very  comfortably,  as  it  had  three  seats  inside,  each 
large  enough  for  three  people,  and  three  others  on  the 
roof,  capable  of  accommodating  a  like  number.  One  of 
the  outside  seats  was  close  behind  that  occupied  by  the 


64  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

driver,  similar  to  those  used  on  transfer  buses  in  large 
cities.  The  third  seat  was  on  the  hind  end  of  the  coach, 
above  the  boot  where  trunks  and  other  bulky  baggage  was 
usually  carried,  which  faced  toward  the  rear,  and  it  had 
a  top  attached  to  it  like  those  used  on  buggies,  that  could 
be  raised  or  lowered.  The  flat  top  of  the  coach  was  cov- 
ered with  heavy  ducking  that  was  impervious  to  water, 
and  it  had  an  iron  railing  two  feet  in  height  around  its 
outer  edge.  The  two  seats  on  top,  in  the  rear  of  that 
occupied  by  the  driver  and  guard,  were  rarely  used  ex- 
cept in  Mexico,  where  there  was  more  traveling,  when 
they,  and  the  floor  of  the  roof,  were  often  crowded. 
Once  the  coach  entered  Lampazos  with  twenty-three  pas- 
sengers, but  that  was  an  exceptional  occasion,  though 
generally  we  received  a  liberal  patronage. 

The  coach  was  manufactured  by  Abbott,  Downing  & 
Co.,  in  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  and  it  was  imported  by 
Mr.  A.  Staacke,  their  agent  for  such  vehicles  and  Con- 
cord buggies  in  west  Texas.  He  was  also  agent  for 
Wilson  &  Childs,  of  Philadelphia,  and  introduced  the  first 
wagons,  called  "  prairie  schooners,"  that  were  used  for 
over-land  freighting,  and  the  first  Studebaker  farm 
wagons,  which  have  since  become  so  popular.  He  sug- 
gested to  this  firm  the  manufacture  of  large  cart  wheels 
with  heavy  iron  axles  for  freighting  purposes,  that  were 
first  introduced  through  him  into  Mexico,  where  they 
came  into  general  use.  In  addition  to  his  large  stock  of 
vehicles,  in  his  establishment  on  West  Commerce  Street 
he  kept  an  extensive  assortment  of  supplies  necessary  for 
teamsters  and  train  owners,  and  nearly  all  of  them  pur- 
chased their  outfits  from  him. 

I  note  these  facts,  with  reference  to  Mr.  Staacke's  ex- 
tensive business  in  early  times,  with  pleasure,  and  it  is 
necesary  for  me  to  do  so  because  I  will  be  compelled  to 
notice  him  frequently  in  connection  with  my  affairs.  Mr. 
Staacke  is  still  alive,  but  he  retired  from  business  about 
fifteen  years  ago,  and  his  establishment  has  since  been 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  65 

successfully  conducted  by  his  sons  in  San  Antonio  under 
the  firm  name  of  Staacke  Bros. 

We  paid  Mr.  Staacke  nine  hundred  dollars  for  the  first 
coach  we  bought  from  him  in  1867,  when  we  started  our 
line,  and  we  purchased  later  the  coach  which  has  been 
described,  for  which  we  paid  $1250,  without  the  harness. 
The  set  of  harness  that  was  made  for  it  was  intended  for 
six  horses,  to  weigh  twelve  hundred  pounds,  but  it  was 
useless  to  us  because  our  animals  were  much  smaller. 

Our  stage  line  extended  from  San  Antonio  along  my 
old  mail  route  to  Eagle  Pass,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande.  The  distance  to  that  point  was  one  hundred 
and  sixty-two  miles,  and  the  road  was  good  in  dry 
weather.  I  crossed  the  river  there  to  Piedras  Negras, 
now  known  as  Ciudad  Porfirio  Diaz,  situated  on  the  high 
banks  of  the  west  side,  in  the  State  of  Coahuila,  Mexico. 
From  there  it  continued  southward  three  hundred  and 
sixty-two  miles  to  Monterey. 

We  had,  at  first,  very  few  stations,  and  lost  entirely  too 
much  time  on  account  of  wet  weather  that  often  prolonged 
the  trip  to  seven  or  eight  days  because  of  insufficient 
teams.  To  remedy  the  defect,  suitable  stations  were 
selected,  where  the  animals  could  be  protected  in  the 
wild  country  through  which  it  was  necessary  for  us  to 
pass,  and  we  stocked  the  route  with  seventy-two  good 
mules.  We  were  satisfied,  before  these  changes  were 
made,  that  the  line  would  pay  if  run  to  advantage,  and 
afterwards  an  experimental  drive  was  made  over  the  route 
in  five  days,  but  the  average  time  thereafter  never  ex- 
ceeded six  days. 

The  road  between  Santa  Monica  and  Paso  de  la  Laza 
was  an  unoccupied  desert  except  by  the  stage-stand  on 
the  banks  of  the  Rio  Sabinas,  which  was  abandoned  later, 
on  account  of  the  Indians,  and  thereafter  we  were  obliged 
to  make  a  ninety-mile  drive  between  Santa  Monica  and 
Lampazos  with  one  team  and  without  water,  after  cross- 
ing the  Rio  Sabinas. 


66  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  town  of  Lampazos  had  about  three  thousand  in- 
habitants who  were  sustained  by  some  irrigated  land, 
and  it  was  also  a  great  sheep,  goat  and  cattle  country. 
The  people  of  the  town  manufactured  by  hand  good  Mexi- 
can blankets,  and  they  seemed  to  be  industrious,  as  they 
were  always  at  work.  Northeast  of  the  town  is  the  Mesa 
de  los  Cartuhanas,  that  was  then  known  as  the  Mesa  de 
Vedura. 

From  Lampazos  to  Villaldama,  by  the  way  of  Sierra 
Colorado  Pass  and  Golondrinas,  is  fifty  miles.  The 
town  had  about  four  thousand  inhabitants  in  1868,  and 
the  silver,  copper,  and  lead  mines  in  that  vicinity  gave 
constant  employment  to  the  people.  The  leading  men 
in  the  place  at  that  time  were  Mariano  and  Machor 
Sanchez,  who  were  mostly  engaged  in  the  mining  business. 

From  Villaldama  to  Palo  Blanco  it  is  thirty-two  miles 
and  the  road  is  good;  and  from  there  to  Morales  the  dis- 
tance is  eighteen  miles.  This  stretch  of  fifty  miles  was 
considered  the  most  dangerous  for  travelers  on  the  frontier 
of  Mexico.  From  Villaldama  the  road  passed  through 
a  valley  near  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Madre  and  another 
range  of  mountains  enclosed  it  on  the  east  side.  The 
valley  was  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  in  width,  and  thirty 
miles  of  the  distance  was  through  a  palm-tree  forest 
with  a  thick  undergrowth  of  brush  that  in  some  places 
grew  so  close  to  the  road  it  was  impossible  for  two  ve- 
hicles to  pass  each  other. 

The  heights  of  the  Sierra  Madre  were  constantly  in- 
fested by  Indians,  and  the  road  that  lay  below  them  could 
be  observed  for  miles.  When  travelers  were  seen  ap- 
proaching from  either  direction,  they  would  descend  to 
some  suitable  place  in  the  valley  and  waylay  them  in 
ambush.  The  most  dangerous  place  was  about  six  miles 
from  the  Palo  Blanco  Ranch,  where  the  road  was  confined 
to  a  narrow  pass,  between  hills  that  rose  from  twenty  to 
thirty  feet  high  for  a  distance  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards.  Here  and  at  other  places  they  would  make 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  67 

a  sudden  attack,  with  the  result  that  the  travelers  were 
murdered  generally  before  they  could  offer  the  slightest 
resistance.  I  was  told  by  the  people  at  the  ranch  that 
more  than  seventy-five  people  had  been  killed  in  the  pass 
in  about  twenty  years,  and  I  had  personal  knowledge  of 
a  family  with  their  children,  and  several  other  persons 
that  were  killed  there  at  different  times.  After  perpetrat- 
ing their  murderous  work,  the  Indians  would  flee  to  the 
mountains,  where  they  were  safe  from  pursuit,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  large  bodies  of  soldiers  could  have  dislodged 
them  from  their  place  of  refuge. 

One  of  our  stations,  where  we  changed  horses,  was  Palo 
Blanco  Ranch  until  it  was  removed  elsewhere.  On  one  of 
my  trips  westward,  in  1867,  when  I  reached  that  point  the 
people  informed  me  that  the  Indians  had  come  out  of  the 
mountains  and  were  depredating  in  the  country  along 
my  route.  They  begged  me  to  stay  with  them,  as  they 
thought  it  probable  that  the  Indians  would  attack  the 
ranch;  but  as  I  was  not  looking  for  Indians,  and  did  not 
wish  to  have  trouble  with  them,  I  only  delayed  long 
enough  to  change  my  team. 

When  I  returned  I  learned  that,  after  my  departure, 
about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  Indians  appeared  and 
took  three  children  into  captivity,  after  killing  two  men 
and  one  woman  who  were  traveling  the  road  I  had  passed 
over,  on  their  way  to  the  ranch  for  protection,  but  those 
at  the  ranch  were  not  molested.  My  good  friend  Jose 
Sanches  was  in  charge  of  it  at  the  time,  and  I  believe  he 
is  still  alive. 

The  custom  of  showing  respect  for  the  last  resting- 
place  of  the  dead  prevails  in  Mexico,  where  it  has  been 
observed  for  ages.  Wherever  a  murdered  person  has  been 
interred  near  the  roadside,  a  cross  is  erected,  and  many 
travelers  stop  there  to  pray,  but  before  leaving  they  al- 
ways deposit  some  token,  even  if  it  is  a  stone,  at  the  foot 
of  the  cross,  though  many  cast  a  stone  on  the  accumu- 
lated pile  as  they  pass.  In  the  valley  referred  to,  at  one 


68  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

of  the  places  I  passed,  I  counted  as  many  as  twenty 
crosses,  some  of  them  showing  the  marking  of  age,  but 
many,  and  sometimes  ten  near  together,  were  secured  to 
palm  trees  and  others  to  bushes.  An  appropriate  name 
for  it  would  be,  the  Valley  of  Death,  and  I  always  felt 
relieved  after  passing  through  it.  On  such  occasions  I 
usually  adopted  every  precaution  to  guard  against  sur- 
prises, and  when  passing  the  most  dangerous  places  I 
and  my  armed  passengers  rode  on  top  of  the  coach. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

FROM  Morales  to  the  beautiful  town  of  Selinas  Vic- 
toria, on  the  Victoria  River,  is  seven  miles  over  a  less 
dangerous  road.  The  town  has  a  neat  appearance,  the 
streets  are  well  paved,  and  it  has  a  fine  church.  There 
are  rich  mines  in  the  vicinity  that  give  the  people  em- 
ployment, and  in  the  country  many  horses  are  raised  on 
ranches  that  are  devoted  to  that  business.  From  Selinas 
to  Monterey  it  is  twenty-five  miles.  The  capital  city  of 
Nuevo  Leon  is  situated  on  the  Rio  de  Santa  Catarina, 
and  it  is  about  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  from 
the  City  of  Mexico.  Many  beautiful  buildings  of  cut 
stone  adorned  the  city,  and  the  streets  and  squares  were 
well  paved.  The  principal  plaza  was  the  most  general 
place  of  resort,  and  it  was  provided  with  stone  benches 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  public,  who  congregated 
there  for  social  purposes  and  to  listen  to  the  music.  The 
cathedral  is  one  of  the  attractions  of  the  city,  and  the 
theater  and  Plaza  de  Toro  are  the  most  popular  places 
of  resort.  About  that  time  the  city  had  about  forty 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  its  citizens  were  esteemed  for 
their  enterprising  spirit  which  kept  them  abreast  with 
the  times. 

The  climate  of  that  region  is  justly  extolled  on  ac- 
count of  its  temperature,  which  is  rarely  cold  enough  in 
winter  for  frost,  and  as  fire  is  seldom  needed  for  warmth, 
the  majority  of  houses  have  no  fire-places,  but  in  summer 
it  is  sometimes  quite  warm,  though  the  nights  are  cooled 
by  the  refreshing  breeze  that  passes  through  the  valley 
from  between  the  Sierra  de  la  Sileria  or  Saddle  Moun- 
tains and  the  Sierra  Madre.  Vegetation  grows  to  per- 
fection under  irrigation,  and  the  products  of  the  soil  are 


70  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

raised  in  abundance.  Tropical  fruit,  especially  orange 
trees,  need  no  protection  and  give  large  returns  for  the 
little  attention  they  receive,  and  I  realized  many  dollars 
from  the  sale  of  oranges  brought  from  there  to  San 
Antonio. 

There  are  many  places  of  historic  interest  near  the  city 
and  the  most  prominent  is  the  Bishop's  Palace,  which  is 
situated  on  one  of  the  foot-hills  of  the  mountain,  beyond 
its  southern  limits,  that  was  the  residence  of  the  Catholic 
bishops  of  Monterey  a  long  time  after  it  became  a  dio- 
cese, but  it  has  been  abandoned  for  years.  When  the 
American  army  invested  the  city  in  1847,  the  place  was 
occupied  by  a  detachment  of  Mexican  troops  until  they 
were  forced  to  surrender  by  a  battery  on  Independent 
Hill  that  commanded  the  position  from  the  opposite  side 
of  the  valley.  The  battery  is  said  to  have  been  in  charge 
of  Lieutenant  W.  T.  Sherman,  who  was  afterwards  a 
general  in  the  United  States  army. 

The  mother  of  Peter  Bass,  my  station-keeper  at  Villal- 
dama,  gave  me  some  information  relative  to  the  siege 
and  capture  of  Monterey  by  General  Taylor,  and  I  will 
relate  a  few  facts  in  this  connection.  She  had  resided  in 
the  city  from  early  childhod  and  was  about  twenty  years 
old  when  the  operations  of  the  American  army  occurred 
in  that  section  of  the  country.  She  pointed  out  the 
place,  on  the  east  side  of  the  city,  where  the  Americans 
gained  their  first  success  in  the  fight  of  Casa  Blanca,  and 
the  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Monterey  brewery,  one 
of  the  largest  establishments  of  the  kind  in  Mexico.  She 
related  what  her  father  had  told  her  about  Mexican  horse- 
men lassoing  straggling  soldiers  from  the  American 
army  and  dragging  them  to  death.  She  showed  me  the 
place  where  Captain  Gillespie  was  killed,  on  the  street 
called  Mar  Prieto,  or  Black  Sea,  when  the  Americans 
were  entering  Monterey;  also  the  place  where  he  was 
buried  after  the  battle ;  but  his  remains  had  been  removed 
some  time  before  and  were  carried  to  San  Antonio,  Texas, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  71 

where  they  repose  in  the  Odd  Fellows'  Cemetery.  She  was 
present  when  the  body  was  disinterred  and  heard  a  Mexi- 
can remark  to  one  of  the  party  of  Americans  who  were 
performing  the  duty  assigned  them,  that  very  few  men 
were  killed  in  the  capture  of  Monterey,  compared  to  the 
number  engaged  on  both  sides;  and  also  the  American's 
reply  that,  "  If  those  who  were  killed  could  be  estimated 
at  their  actual  worth  all  of  their  virtues  combined  would 
not  equal  those  once  possessed  by  the  man  who  lies  before 
us."  A  monument  was  erected  over  his  last  resting-place ; 
and,  unless  I  am  mistaken,  Texas  has  perpetuated  his 
memory  by  naming  a  county  in  his  honor. 

A  national  prejudice  against  Americans  was  enter- 
tained in  Mexico  long  after  the  termination  of  that  war, 
and  the  feeling  was  not  only  justified  by  its  results  but 
it  was  aggravated  by  the  threatening  schemes  of  filibus- 
ters in  the  United  States  for  the  conquest  ef  that  country 
prior  to  the  Civil  War.  The  friendly  attitude  of  the 
northern  republic  through  that  period,  and  its  more  recent 
position  with  reference  to  the  empire  under  Maximilian, 
quieted  all  apprehensions  in  official  circles,  although,  per- 
haps, it  lingered  to  some  extent  among  the  people ;  but  it 
was  never  manifested  in  my  case,  because  I  was  always 
treated  with  uniform  courtesy  in  all  my  travels  among 
them,  and  every  facility  was  extended  to  me,  both  by  the 
government  and  the  people,  to  insure  the  success  of  my 
business. 

The  interest  manifested  by  the  Mexican  government  in 
our  stage  line  through  its  employees  was  never  as  great 
as  that  displayed  by  the  citizens  along  the  route,  who 
neglected  no  opportunity  to  express  their  appreciation  of 
our  services.  The  most  conspicuous  among  them  was 
Joe  Maria  Perez,  of  Piedras  Negras ;  Santiago  Tomas, 
of  Santa  Monica,  who  is  the  father-in-law  of  Dr.  Serna, 
of  San  Buenaventura;  Philipe  Naranjo  of  Lampazos,  and 
Mariano  and  Machor  Sanchez  of  Villaldama.  Wher- 
ever the  stage  appeared  a  greater  sensation  was  created 


72  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

than  is  usually  expressed  in  a  new  railroad  town  when 
visited  by  the  road's  officials  in  their  private  car.  Fre- 
quently the  natives,  with  their  primitive  flutes,  made  of 
burnt  clay  and  of  cane,  would  serenade  the  passengers  at 
the  stations  where  we  stopped,  and  very  often  a  dance 
was  arranged  for  them  at  night,  to  which  the  respectable 
class  of  people  were  invited.  As  I  was  fond  of  dancing, 
these  events  afforded  me  pleasant  recreation  and  I  never 
failed  to  attend  them. 

On  one  occasion  General  Wardwell,  the  general  in- 
spector of  United  States  custom-houses  along  the  Rio 
Grande  from  its  mouth  to  El  Paso,  participated  in  one  of 
such  entertainments.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Brownsville, 
and  as  there  was  no  public  means  of  conveyance  to  that 
place,  other  than  on  my  stage  to  Monterey,  where  con- 
nection was  made  with  the  Mexican  stage  line  to  Mata- 
moras,  he  accompanied  me  to  the  end  of  my  route.  At 
Lampazos  the  general  and  other  passengers,  including 
myself,  were  invited  to  attend  a  select  dance  gotten  up  for 
our  benefit  by  the  best  people  of  the  town,  and  as  many 
of  them  were  present  it  proved  to  be  a  swell  affair. 

The  general  was  a  close  observer,  and  he  noticed  par- 
ticularly, that  several  ladies  present  wore  a  silver  ornament 
of  beautiful  workmanship  attached  to  their  belts  by  two 
chains,  that  had  the  handle  and  sheath  of  a  dagger.  He 
took  advantage  of  the  first  opportunity  that  offered  to 
express  his  interest  in  the  subject  by  remarking  to  his 
companion  that  he  had  always  discredited  the  statement 
made  about  Mexican  women  carrying  daggers  about  their 
persons,  but  with  the  evidence  then  before  his  eyes  he  was 
forced  to  believe  it  was  true. 

His  criticism  was  circulated  among  the  ladies  and  it 
gave  rise  to  many  pleasantries  at  his  expense.  One  of 
them  approached  him  in  a  spirit  of  raillery,  and  suddenly 
but  gracefully  drawing  from  its  sheath  one  of  the  decep- 
tive daggers  it  spread  into  a  beautiful  fan  which  she  flut- 
tered before  his  face  in  an  elegant  manner  while  merrily 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  73 

laughing  at  his  confusion.  The  outer  folds  of  the  fan 
were  two  flexible  springs  that  were  secured  with  the  folds 
at  the  lower  end  to  a  delicate  rod  which,  when  drawn 
outward  to  the  mouth  of  the  sheath,  unfolded  in  the  shape 
of  a  half  circle.  The  novelty  was  imported  from  France 
and  they  became  very  popular.  Some  of  them  were  ex- 
pensively ornamented  with  precious  stones  and  displayed 
the  highest  grade  of  workmanship,  but  those  most  com- 
monly in  use  were  supplied  at  a  reasonable  price. 

The  Republican  government  of  Mexico  had  been  fully 
reinstated,  and  before  this  time  a  law  was  passed  to  for- 
bid the  circulation  of  money  bearing  the  stamp  of  the 
empire,  with  a  view  to  eliminate  every  evidence  of  Maxi- 
milian's reign.  The  law  also  authorized  its  being  sent 
out  of  the  country  free  of  export  or  other  duties  with 
the  intention  of  ridding  the  country  of  it  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. As  it  was  not  a  legal  tender  in  the  republic  the 
money  became  greatly  depreciated,  but  it  commanded  a 
premium  in  the  United  States  and  we  bought  all  we 
could  afford  with  the  means  at  our  command  through 
Messrs.  Weber  &  Ulrich,  our  agents  in  Monterey,  who  se- 
cured all  that  was  offered.  We  never  cleared  less  than 
thirty-five  per  cent,  by  the  speculation,  consequently  so 
long  as  any  could  be  had,  we  made  it  a  profitable  business. 

We  transported  many  thousands  of  dollars  from  Mon- 
terey and  other  points  along  my  route  that  was  con- 
signed to  merchants  in  San  Antonio,  compared  to  which 
our  own,  in  the  above  noted  speculation,  was  insignificant. 
As  it  was  known  that  we  carried  money,  and  sometimes 
large  amounts,  it  is  remarkable  that  we  were  never  mo- 
lested except  on  one  occasion  in  Texas,  and  that  time 
the  attempt  was  a  failure.  It  happened  about  thirty- 
seven  miles  east  of  Eagle  Pass  on  my  way  to  San  An- 
tonio, but  I  had  been  forewarned  and  the  designs  of  the 
highwaymen  were  frustrated.  * 

When  I  arrived  at  Eagle  Pass  I  found  a  letter  awaiting 
me  from  my  partner,  Captain  Muenzenberger,  written  at 


74  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

San  Antonio,  and  dated  February  10,  1868.  He  stated 
that  he  had  received  information  of  a  scheme  to  rob  me, 
and  that  a  party  of  men  had  left  that  city  with  the  in- 
tention to  waylay  me.  He  advised  me  to  be  on  my  guard 
and  not  travel  at  night,  as  it  was  probable  that  they 
would  make  their  attack  under  the  cover  of  darkness.  I 
also  received  a  letter  from  John  Kenedy,  of  Sabinal,  at 
the  same  time,  in  which  he  communicated  the  fact  that  a 
party  of  eight  men  of  questionable  appearance  had  spent 
the  night  at  his  ranch,  and  the  next  morning,  as  it 
was  necessary  for  him  to  go  to  Fort  Clark,  he  accom- 
panied them  to  Uvalde,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  where 
they  took  the  Eagle  Pass  road.  When  on  the  way  they 
asked  him  if  he  was  acquainted  with  my  schedule  time 
between  Chichon  and  Turkey  Creek;  also  if  I  carried 
much  money  over  the  route,  and  many  other  questions 
which  excited  his  suspicions.  He  also  warned  me  to  be 
on  my  guard  because  he  was  convinced  that  the  men  in- 
tended to  attack  me  somewhere  between  the  points 
designated. 

These  warnings  of  my  friends  made  me  cautious  and  I 
took  their  advice  by  changing  my  usual  programme.  It 
was  my  custom  to  drive  the  twenty-seven  miles  between 
Eagle  Pass  and  Chichon  before  dark,  stopped  there  until 
two  o'clock  the  following  morning,  and  generally,  I  ar- 
rived at  Turkey  Creek  about  five  o'clock  A.  M.;  but  on  that 
trip  I  did  not  start  from  Chichon  until  seven  o'clock,  and 
we  resumed  our  journey  with  the  expectation  of  having  an 
exciting  time.  I  took  my  seat  on  the  outside  of  the  stage 
with  my  extra  man  and  driver,  where  I  could  look  out  for 
the  robbers  and  be  prepared  for  anything  that  might 
happen.  On  the  inside  of  the  coach  were  my  four  pas- 
sengers, Mr.  Gilbeau,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Bryan  Callaghan, 
who  is  the  wife  of  the  present  Mayor  of  San  Antonio ; 
Mr.  Fernando  Garza,  also  of  San  Antonio,  and  Messrs. 
Nicholas  Burke  and  Jim  Riddle,  of  Eagle  Pass.  We 
were  all  well  armed  with  Winchester  rifles,  which  were 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  75 

placed  where  they  would  be  ready  for  use  at  a  moment's 
notice. 

We  were  all  determined  to  give  the  highwaymen  a  warm 
reception  in  the  event  of  an  encounter,  and  a  strict  watch 
was  kept  ahead,  but  nothing  occurred  to  excite  suspicion 
until  we  started  down  a  long  grade  when  we  saw  a  party 
of  men  in  the  distance  on  the  north  side  of  the  road.  Evi- 
dently they  were  the  expected  robbers,  but  we  agreed  to 
let  them  start  the  fight,  after  deciding  to  "  run  the 
gauntlet "  as  the  best  means  of  avoiding  the  attack. 

I  ordered  the  driver  to  lash  the  mules  and  at  the  crack 
of  the  whip  the  half-wild  animals  dashed  forward  at  full 
speed.  We  approached  the  men  under  full  headway,  and 
nothing  but  a  volley  of  bullets  could  have  stopped  the 
team  on  that  incline.  When  passing  the  party  we  noticed 
that  only  six  men  were  in  sight,  but  when  they  saw  our 
strength  and  that  we  were  prepared,  they  abstained  from 
making  any  threatening  movement.  Those  inside  the 
stage  greeted  them,  saying,  "  We  are  behind  time.  We 
are  in  a  hurry.  We  can't  stop."  But  the  baffled  out- 
laws made  no  response  and  we  dashed  onward  until  they 
were  lost  to  view. 

The  faces  of  the  six  men  were  fully  exposed,  but  we 
passed  so  quickly  none  of  them  could  be  recognized. 
Later  they  were  all  identified,  but  it  is  wrong  to  circu- 
late harmful  reports  about  the  dead  by  naming  them 
and  equally  cruel  to  their  families.  It  is  sufficient  that  I 
eluded  them  through  the  aid  of  friends  and  I  shall  never 
cease  to  be  grateful  for  their  interest  in  my  welfare  on 
that  occasion.  If  they  had  not  forewarned  me  of  the 
danger  I  would  not  have  been  on  my  guard  when  the 
would-be  thieves  waylaid  me,  and  as  all  my  passengers 
were  brave  men  they  would  not  have  submitted  quietly 
to  being  robbed,  consequently  the  incident  might  have 
had  a  tragic  ending  instead  of  terminating  as  it  did  in  a 
farce. 

Mr.  Gilbeau  once  had  an  experience  with  highwaymen 


76  A  TEXAS   PIONEER 

in  the  Paso  de  la  Laza,  near  the  Sabinas  River,  in  Mexico, 
and  his  cool,  determined  action  on  that  occasion  brought 
about  decisive  results.  The  ambulance  he  was  on  was 
stopped  by  ladrones  and  they  surrounded  it,  but  before 
they  could  commence  their  depredations  Mr.  Gilbeau 
dropped  two  of  them  in  rapid  succession,  with  a  double- 
barrel  shot-gun,  and  the  others  ran  away. 

Mr.  Garza  was  credited  with  an  equally  resolute  char- 
acter and  his  bravery  was  never  questioned.  He  was  the 
youngest  of  three  brothers  that  were  members  of  a  prom- 
inent family  in  San  Antonio.  They  possessed  equally 
fearless  natures  and  all,  at  one  time,  held  commissions  in 
the  Mexican  army,  but  when  Major  Adolph  Garza  was 
killed  in  a  duel  by  Colonel  Henrico  Mejia  in  1867,  Captain 
Juan  Garza  and  Lieutenant  Fernando  Garza  resigned. 

It  fell  to  my  lot  to  bear  the  sad  news  of  Major  Garza's 
death  to  his  family,  and  I  became  acquainted  with  the 
following  pathetic  incident  that  preceded  the  tragedy. 
Under  the  influence  of  a  presentiment  that  the  encounter 
would  result  fatally  to  himself  he  was  impressed  to  write 
letters  to  his  mother  and  relatives  containing  his  last 
messages.  These  he  enclosed  in  a  mourning  envelope, 
which  he  addressed  and  placed  in  his  desk  with  a  note 
expressing  an  earnest  entreaty  that  the  package  should 
be  delivered  to  his  people  in  San  Antonio,  Texas.  The 
package  was  given  to  me  in  Monterey,  with  the  request 
that  I  would  deliver  it  to  the  grief-stricken  mother,  and  I 
performed  the  duty  with  a  sorrowful  heart. 

Mr.  Fernando  Garza  married  after  he  resigned  from  the 
army,  and  died  a  few  years  later,  but  his  widow  survives 
and  she  still  conducts  a  respectable  restaurant  in  San 
Antonio  which  she  opened  twenty-five  years  ago.  Cap- 
tain Juan  Garza  also  returned  to  Texas  after  resigning 
from  the  army,  and  was  appointed  assistant  city  marshal 
of  San  Antonio  in  1868,  which  position  he  has  since  filled, 
almost  continuously,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public  up 
to  the  present  time. 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE  only  time  that  I  came  in  actual  contact  with  rob- 
bers in  Mexico  was  in  1868,  on  one  of  my  trips  when  re- 
turning from  Monterey.  It  was  brought  about  by  a 
favor  I  extended  to  a  man  I  found  on  foot  in  an  unin- 
habited country,  by  inviting  him  to  take  a  seat  in  the 
stage.  The  only  passengers  with  me  in  the  coach  were 
Dr.  Felix,  of  Monterey,  and  Antonio  Rivas,  of  San  An- 
tonio, the  father-in-law  of  Dr.  Chapa,  the  druggist,  and 
I  was  accompanied  by  my  usual  guard  and  the  driver. 
As  day  was  breaking  we  were  at  the  foot  of  the  table 
mountain  known  as  Mesa  de  Vidaurri,  about  twenty  miles 
northeast  of  Lampazos,  that  is  also  called  Mesa  de  los 
Cartuhanes. 

The  country  in  that  vicinity  was  a  sterile  region,  and 
I  was  surprised  when  Alex  Gross,  my  driver  from 
Lampazos  to  Santa  Monica,  called  my  attention  to  the 
form  of  a  solitary  man  on  foot  a  short  distance  ahead 
of  us.  The  presence  of  a  lonely  human  being  in  that 
locality  was  unusual,  and  it  was  very  remarkable  to  find 
one  there  at  any  time,  in  his  condition.  Thinking  that 
the  man  was  in  distress  I  stopped  the  stage  and  got  out 
to  speak  to  him.  He  was  a  well-dressed  Mexican,  his 
form  was  manly,  and  I  was  favorably  impressed  by  his 
appearance.  I  inquired  if  any  misfortune  had  happened 
to  him  and  offered  my  services. 

He  seemed  to  be  pleased  at  the  interest  I  manifested, 
and  very  politely  informed  me  that  he  was  there  because 
his  horse  had  broken  loose  and  run  away,  also  that  his 
men  were  in  pursuit  of  him  on  the  road  leading  to  the 
Rio  Grande.  I  inquired  if  the  men  would  return  to  that 

77 


78  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

place  the  way  they  had  gone.  He  answered,  "  Yes,  be- 
cause there  is  no  other  road  they  could  travel."  As  our 
route  lay  in  that  direction  and  we  would  be  sure  to 
meet  the  men,  I  invited  him  to  take  a  seat  in  the  coach 
and  ride  with  us.  He  accepted  my  invitation  with  seem- 
ing pleasure,  and  after  he,  with  his  belongings,  together 
with  those  of  his  six  men,  were  stored  on  the  stage,  we 
resumed  our  journey. 

We  entered  into  sociable  conversation  with  our  pas- 
senger and  he  was  equally  friendly  and  polite,  but  he  never 
gave  me  a  chance  to  question  him  about  himself.  We  all 
talked  freely  to  him,  but  he  had  very  little  to  say,  and 
evidently  he  did  not  know  much  about  the  country  or  what 
was  going  on  in  Lampazos  and  other  small  towns  near 
the  frontier.  His  reticence  with  reference  to  himself  was 
noticed,  but  our  conversation  was  agreeable  and  we  trav- 
eled very  pleasantly  about  eighteen  miles  before  we  saw 
the  horse-hunters  approaching  in  the  distance. 

The  stage  was  stopped  and  I  got  out  my  field-glass, 
and  after  adjusting  it  to  the  proper  focus,  passed  it  to 
our  traveling  companion.  He  did  not  know  how  to  use 
it,  but  after  I  showed  him,  he  identified  his  men  and  the 
horse  they  were  leading.  The  fact  that  his  horse  had 
been  secured  was  most  gratifying  to  him,  and  when  the 
men  met  us  he  begged  the  driver  to  stop  the  coach.  After 
stepping  out  he  walked  forward  to  where  his  men  were 
and  talked  to  them,  but  we  could  not  distinguish  what 
was  said.  Evidently  he  told  them  of  our  kindness  to  him, 
because  they  advanced  and  returned  thanks  for  all  we  had 
done.  They  received  their  property  and  after  bidding 
us  good-bye  they  remained  there  when  we  resumed  our 
journey. 

A  few  minutes  after  starting,  Alex  Gross  turned  his 
head  and  said,  "  Say,  Boss,  that  fellow  isn't  all  right."  I 
readily  agreed  with  him  because  I  entertained  the  same 
impression  and  had  sized  my  friend  up  during  the  few 
hours  I  was  in  his  company;  but  Dr.  Felix  and  Rivas 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  79 

differed  with  us  and  believed  the  man  was  only  a  pros- 
perous ranchman. 

On  my  return  trip  to  Monterey  I  was  told  by  Santiago 
Tomas,  of  Santa  Monica,  that  I  had  made  a  warm  and 
constant  friend  of  Castroa  the  highway  robber  and  outlaw. 
He  said  that  Castro  had  related  the  particulars  of  how  I 
had  befriended  him,  and  stated  that  he  could  not  feel 
grateful  enough  to  me,  and  was  ready  to  serve  me  in  any 
way  that  offered.  Of  course  I  knew  that  Castro  was  in 
existence,  and  I  was  also  acquainted  with  his  origin  and 
some  of  his  exploits ;  but  I  did  not  know,  until  then,  that 
he  was  the  gentleman  I  had  hauled  several  hours  in  my 
stage.  Subsequently  the  fact  became  generally  known, 
because  Castro  never  missed  an  opportunity  to  relate  the 
adventure,  and  to  every  one  he  expressed  his  gratitude 
for  the  assistance  I  had  rendered  him  in  the  wilderness. 

He  was  evidently  sincere,  although  he  magnified  my 
services.  Some  of  my  friends  on  the  contrary,  entertained 
an  opposite  belief,  and  thought  that  the  presence  of 
Castro,  at  the  place  I  found  him,  was  planned  with  a 
view  to  gain  information  and  afterwards  lay  a  trap  for 
me;  but  his  conduct  when  I  met  him  about  four  months 
later  proved  that  they  entertained  an  unjust  opinion  of 
him. 

The  meeting  took  place  about  twelve  miles  east  of  the 
Sabinas  River  when  returning  from  Monterey,  and  it  was 
entirely  unexpected.  I  saw  a  bunch  of  men  lying  under 
the  shade  of  a  huisache  grove,  about  two  hundred  yards 
from  the  road  in  the  direction  we  were  traveling.  The 
stage  was  moving  slowly  up  a  hill,  and  when  nearly  op- 
posite them  one  of  the  party  we  had  been  watching  walked 
towards  us,  at  the  same  time  making  motions  for  us  to 
stop.  I  recognized  Castro  immediately  after  leaving  the 
coach,  and  when  we  met  about  half  way  he  greeted  me 
cordially  with  a  hearty  hand-shake.  To  his  inquiry,  if 
I  remembered  him,  I  answered  yes  and  that  I  was  pleased 
to  meet  him  again.  I  asked  if  I  could  render  him  assist- 


80  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

ance,  and  if  so  to  let  me  know.  He  said  he  would  like 
to  get  from  me  some  cartridges  suitable  for  a  Spencer 
carbine  if  I  could  spare  them.  I  replied  that  I  could 
and  returned  to  the  coach  to  get  them.  When  I  gave 
them  to  him,  he  offered  to  pay  me,  but  I  insisted  on  his 
accepting  them  as  a  present  and  assured  him  that  I  had 
an  ample  supply.  He  thanked  me  very  earnestly  and 
urged  me  to  go  with  him  to  his  camp.  I  knew  I  would 
be  safe  in  his  company  and  did  not  hesitate  to  accompany 
him.  His  men  rose  to  their  feet  as  we  approached  and  I 
was  introduced  to  them  as  his  friend  "  Augustin  el  Cor- 
reo,"  or  August  the  stage  man.  They  all  shook  hands 
with  me,  and  among  them  I  recognized  several  of  the 
party  who  met  us  with  Castro's  horse. 

They  numbered  about  fifteen  men  and  all  were  armed 
with  Spencer  carbines  and  six-shooters.  That  pattern  of 
rifle  was  the  first  breech  loaders,  using  metalic  cartridges, 
introduced  into  Mexico.  Castro  was  a  well-preserved  man 
about  fifty  years  old,  and  the  ages  of  his  men,  appar- 
ently, ranged  from  thirty  to  forty  years.  They  were 
all  fairly  well  dressed,  were  decent  looking  and  made  a 
good  appearance.  They  did  not  resemble  the  regular 
ladrones,  who  wore  fancy  clothes,  which,  like  their  sad- 
dles and  bridles,  were  trimmed  with  silver.  They  also 
rode  good  horses  which  seemed  to  be, in  fair  condition. 

We  talked  about  many  things,  but  I  carefully  avoided 
any  allusion  to  their  occupation ;  nor  did  I  refer  to  San- 
tiago Tomas,  the  father-in-law  of  Dr.  Sarna,  of  San 
Buenaventura,  or  the  information  he  gave  me  with  refer- 
ence to  Castro's  gratitude,  because  it  would  have  led  him 
to  infer  that  I  knew  his  reputation.  Castro  did  not  call 
my  attention  to  the  subject,  although  he  assured  me  that 
I  could  rely  on  the  friendship  and  services  of  himself  and 
men  at  any  time.  Of  course  I  thanked  them  for  their 
good  will  and  promised  to  assist  them  in  any  way  that  I 
could. 

Indians  were  plentiful  along  my  route  at  that  time,  and 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  81 

Castro  inquired  if  I  was  not  afraid  of  them.  I  replied 
that  I  was  not,  but  that  I  was  afraid  of  ladrones  (rob- 
bers). He  asked  me  if  I  had  ever  met  any  of  them,  and 
I  said  yes,  but  fortunately  they  never  molested  me.  He 
then  questioned  me  about  my  business  and  wanted  to 
know  if  my  stage  line  was  a  paying  investment.  I  replied 
that  it  was  because  the  Mexican  Government  had  granted 
me  many  concessions  and  ample  protection.  One  of  the 
men  suggested  that  I  ought  not  to  place  too  much  con- 
fidence in  the  government  of  Mexico,  because  it  had  ruined 
and  oppressed  the  people;  but  I  knew  why  he  talked  that 
way  and  was  not  inclined  to  discuss  the  subject. 

When  I  was  ready  to  leave  I  repeated  that  I  was  willing 
to  serve  them  if  possible,  and  asked  if  I  could  do  anything 
for  them.  They  said  no,  and  thanked  me  with  many  kind 
expressions.  The  men  all  embraced  me,  but  before  Castro 
did  so,  he  unfastened  a  pair  of  silver  buttons  from  the 
side  of  his  hat  and  presented  them  to  me,  with  the  request 
that  I  would  keep  them  as  a  remembrance.  They  were 
shaped  like  a  bell  and  fastened  to  silver  plates  an  inch 
square.  I  kept  them  many  years,  but  finally  lost  one  of 
them,  and  the  other  I  presented  to  Judge  Spooner  of  the 
United  States  Court  of  Claims,  when  he  was  a  visitor  in 
San  Antonio,  in  1904. 

I  never  met  Castro  or  his  band  on  any  other  occasion, 
but  shortly  after  I  last  saw  him,  I  was  told  that  he  held 
up  a  stage-coach  on  the  international  stage  line  between 
the  City  of  Mexico  and  Matamoras,  nine  miles  west  of 
Monterey,  near  Santa  Catarina,  and  secured  about  ten 
thousand  dollars.  One  of  the  passengers  was  Mr.  Porter, 
who  was  returning  from  a  business  trip  to  the  capital  on 
account  of  a  consignment  of  arms  he  sold  to  the  Mexican 
Government  during  the  war  with  France.  He  was  a 
brother  of  Major  Porter  of  the  United  States  army,  then 
stationed  at  Brownsville,  and  also  an  intimate  friend  of 
Theodore  Lamberson,  of  El  Paso,  who  at  one  time  had 
charge  of  my  wagon  train,  and  afterwards  was  Sheriff 


82  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

of  Duval  County.  This  was  the  last  robbery  that  Castro 
committed  in  Nuevo  Leon  or  Tamalipas  on  account  of  the 
vigilance  of  the  Mexican  authorities,  who  pursued  him 
continuously  until  he  was  driven  out  of  the  states. 

Castro  was  not  a  common  robber  who  took  from  the 
people  indiscriminately,  but  only  those  who  had  an 
abundance  were  made  to  contribute  to  his  demands,  and 
he  was  lavish  in  his  distributions  to  the  poor.  Conse- 
quently the  rich  feared  him  and  he  always  found  a  friend 
and  protector  among  the  needy.  Evidently  he  was  grate- 
ful as  well  as  generous,  and  he  had  many  friends.  I 
rather  liked  him  myself  after  our  first  meeting  near  the 
base  of  the  table  mountain  called  Mesa  de  Vidaurri. 

The  strangeness  of  that  encounter  in  connection  with 
the  interesting  features  of  the  mountain  are  impressed 
distinctly  on  my  memory,  and  as  it  is  a  conspicuous  land- 
mark on  my  route  I  am  constrained  to  give  it  further  con- 
sideration. My  description  is  based  on  information  gath- 
ered from  others,  because  I  was  never  on  the  mountain, 
but  have  passed  around  its  towering  walls  of  solid  stone 
on  the  north  and  south  sides.  The  interpreted  meaning 
of  the  name  is  Table  of  Vidaurri,  that  was  suggested  pos- 
sibly by  its  appearance.  It  is  an  isolated  mountain  that 
is  situated  in  the  State  of  Nuevo  Leon,  about  two  hundred 
miles  north  of  Monterey,  about  twenty  miles  west  of  the 
International  and  Great  Northern  Railroad,  and  its 
precipitous  sides  that  rise  to  the  height  of  1000  or  more 
feet  can  be  seen  from  passing  trains. 

Perhaps,  in  ages  past,  when  the  country  was  a  wilder- 
ness, the  natives  knew  it  as  a  place  of  safety,  when  their 
merciless  conquerors  were  reducing  their  captives  to  slav- 
ery. Its  inaccessible  walls,  rising  perpendicularly  from 
the  surrounding  plains,  could  only  be  scaled  at  a  few 
points,  and  doubtless  they  found  a  secure  place  of  refuge 
on  its  summit. 

Some  time  in  the  last  century  its  value  for  ranch  pur- 
poses was  appreciated  by  Governor  Vidaurri,  of  Nuevo 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  83 

Leon,  and  he  became  its  owner.  He  stocked  it  with  the 
necessary  animals  and  for  many  years  the  top  of  the 
mountain  was  devoted  to  the  raising  of  horses  and  mules 
exclusively.  The  large  herds  raised  on  its  summit  were 
not  molested,  because  the  only  accessible  point  was  up 
a  winding  road,  cut  in  the  side  of  the  declivity.  The 
opening  at  the  top  was  constantly  guarded  by  a  detach- 
ment of  soldiers  to  guard  against  intruders  and  to  pro- 
tect the  surrounding  country.  A  small  settlement  of 
peones  occupied  a  village  in  the  vicinity,  who  performed 
the  labors  of  the  ranch.  These  defenses,  together  with 
the  natural  obstructions,  made  the  mesa  or  table  of 
Vedura  one  of  the  strongest  places  in  the  country,  and  it 
was  always  safe  from  the  depredations  of  horse-thieves 
and  Indian  raiders. 

The  top  of  the  mountain  covered  an  area  exceeding 
three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres,  as  it  was  about 
twenty-five  miles  square.  The  surface  is  generally  level, 
with  occasional  elevations,  and  it  is  partially  covered  by 
forests,  but  the  pasture  land  is  extensive.  Much  of  the 
land  is  fertile  and  suitable  for  cultivation,  especially  in 
the  low  lands  near  the  numerous  water-courses. 

When  the  mountain  was  first  occupied  it  was  infested 
by  a  number  of  native  wild  animals.  Cinnamon  and  the 
common  black  bears,  tigers,  panthers,  and  Mexican  lions 
were  common  and  dangerous ;  other  animals  also  were 
numerous,  including  the  mountain  sheep  of  Mexico  that 
have  immense  horns  that  serve  to  protect  them  when 
forced  by  danger  to  jump  down  precipices.  On  such  oc- 
casions their  bodies  and  limbs  are  drawn  into  a  lump 
and  they  fall  without  injury  on  their  enormous  curved 
horns,  which  throw  them  a  somersault  before  landing 
them  on  their  feet. 

In  order  to  protect  his  domestic  animals  Governor 
Vidaurri  found  that  it  was  necessary  to  destroy  the  car- 
niverous  animals,  and  he  paid  a  bounty  of  twenty-five 
dollars  for  each  tiger,  panther  and  lion  that  was  killed 


84  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

on  the  mountain,  with  the  result  that,  perhaps,  they  were 
exterminated.  At  one  time,  too,  he  had  trouble  with  a 
party  of  Indians  who  discovered  a  trail  and  ascended  the 
mountain  on  foot.  After  remaining  there  some  time  they 
were  seen  by  ranchmen,  who  notified  the  soldiers  and  an 
immediate  attack  was  made.  The  Indians  were  cut  off 
from  the  trail  and  driven  over  the  bluff.  Those  not  killed 
by  the  fall  were  too  badly  crippled  to  escape,  and  the 
Mexicans  dispatched  them  all. 

The  mountain  top  was  afterwards  developed  and  much 
of  the  land  was  put  under  cultivation.  Governor  Vidaurri 
sold  the  ranch,  ultimately,  to  his  son-in-law,  Pat  Milmo, 
the  father  of  the  Milmo  bankers  of  Laredo,  who,  I  think, 
are  the  present  owners. 

Such  ranches  in  those  days  were  extremely  desirable 
because  of  the  perfect  security  against  loss  when  property 
of  all  kinds  received  very  little  protection.  The  coun- 
try was  constantly  exposed  to  inroads  of  wild  Indians,  but 
in  1868  they  were  unusually  bold  and  more  frequent  in 
northern  Mexico,  also  in  Texas,  where  they  were  some- 
times extended.  The  murders  and  thefts  committed  on 
such  occasions  have  never  been  estimated,  consequently 
the  savages  were  held  in  considerable  dread.  I  seemed 
to  be  under  the  protection  of  Providence,  because  I  never 
saw  wild  Indians  but  once  in  Mexico  while  running  the 
stage  to  Monterey,  and  then  they  did  not  bother  me. 

Equestrianism  was  carried  to  the  highest  point  of  ex- 
cellence in  Mexico  during  the  period  to  which  my  writ- 
ings refer,  and  every  horseman  in  that  country  was  am- 
bitious to  own  a  beautiful,  well-trained  horse  with 
expensive  trappings.  The  outlay  necessary  to  gratify 
his  desires  in  that  connection  was  never  considered,  and 
it  was  a  luxury  that  was  indulged  in  to  extravagance. 
It  was  not  uncommon  to  see  riding  horses  that  cost  $1000 
with  silver  mounted  saddles  and  bridles  for  which  $500 
was  paid.  The  fashionable  riding  costume  of  a  wealthy 
Mexican,  embroidered  with  silver  and  gold  thread  and 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  85 

ornamented  with  silver  buttons,  involved  an  outlay  of 
from  $75  to  $100,  and  his  felt  hat,  with  its  broad  brim, 
similarly  embroidered,  cost  from  $100  to  $250.  They 
made  an  attractive  appearance  on  their  well-trained 
horses,  and  others  besides  Mexicans  indulged  themselves 
in  the  same  way.  A  well-known  citizen,  who  now  resides 
in  San  Antonio,  was  then  engaged  in  business  in  Mexico 
and  he  invested  not  less  than  $1000  in  a  riding  costume, 
saddle  and  bridle. 

The  horses  that  were  in  demand  were  the  hardy,  active, 
native-bred  horses  of  the  country  which  trace  their  origin 
to  the  time  of  the  Conquest.  They  were  susceptible  to 
thorough  training  and  became  submissive  to  the  will  of 
the  rider  through  a  pressure  of  the  knee,  a  touch  of  the 
heel,  or  a  twitch  of  the  bridle.  In  that  way  a  horse 
could  be  made  to  spring  suddenly  to  the  right  or  left,  a 
distance  of  ten  feet,  or  rear  on  his  hind  feet  and  walk 
several  steps  forward,  and  perform  many  graceful  acts 
that  displayed  his  intelligence  in  which  the  rider  showed 
his  horsemanship.  I  once  saw  a  Mexican  ride  a  very  fine 
horse  into  a  room  in  which  a  crowd  had  gathered,  where 
the  animal  was  made  to  rear  and  place  his  front  feet  on 
the  counter.  It  was  not  an  unusual  occurrence  and  the 
act  was  applauded. 

These  trained  horses  were  also  used  to  run  races,  and 
on  such  occasions  a  rope  was  stretched  along  the  ground 
across  the  track  at  the  starting  point.  The  two  horses 
were  then  placed  in  position  with  their  front  feet  even 
with  the  rope,  where  they  stood  quietly  until  their  riders 
made  a  motion  with  bridles  and  heels,  when  the  signal  to 
go  was  given,  and  then  they  leaped  forward  a  distance 
of  twelve  or  more  feet.  All  the  race  tracks  were  straight 
and  another  rope  was  stretched  across  the  furthest  end 
in  front  of  the  judges'  stand.  The  race  was  decided  in 
favor  of  the  horse  that  first  put  his  front  foot  over  the 
rope. 


CHAPTER    X 

ON  one  of  my  return  trips  from  Monterey,  in  1868,  I 
came  upon  a  band  of  Indians  at  Santiago  Creek,  which  is 
about  twenty  miles  southwest  of  Santa  Monica,  where  the 
battle  of  Cinco  del  Mayo  was  fought,  in  1865,  that  re- 
sulted in  a  defeat  of  the  French  army  by  the  Mexican 
forces  under  the  command  of  General  Trevino,  the  man 
who  afterwards  married  a  daughter  of  General  Ord  of 
the  United  States  army. 

The  Indians  were  encamped  about  three  hundred  yards 
south  of  the  road  when  I  drove  in  sight  of  them  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  evening.  They  seemed  to  be  resting  and 
evidently  the  rattle  of  the  coach  on  the  rocky  road  roused 
them  from  sleep,  because  we  could  see  them  spring  to 
their  feet  as  if  alarmed.  Their  hasty  movements  indi- 
cated that  they  were  preparing  for  trouble,  but  they  made 
no  effort  to  intercept  us  nor  did  they  show  any  disposition 
to  attack  us.  Perhaps  they  were  startled  by  the  inter- 
ruption, not  having  noticed  the  road  and  believing  them- 
selves in  a  place  of  safety,  because  their  horses  together 
with  a  large  herd  were  grazing  along  near  where  we 
passed  and  all  the  animals  seemed  to  be  exhausted  by 
fatigue  from  hard  service.  They  may  have  concluded 
that  we  were  capable  of  giving  them  a  warm  reception 
after  seeing  that  we  numbered  eight  men,  including  pas- 
sengers, driver,  and  escort,  and  all  were  well  armed.  As 
our  wish  was  to  avoid  an  encounter  we  passed  through 
them  as  quickly  as  possible,  but  not  fast  enough  to  pre- 
vent me  from  recognizing  several  well-known  brands  of 
Texas  ranchmen  on  the  horses. 

We  were  informed  later  that  this  band  of  Indians,  num- 

86 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  87 

bering  twenty-five  bucks,  had  recently  made  a  raid  into 
Medina  and  Atascosa  Counties,  where  they  stole  about  one 
hundred  head  of  horses  from  Judge  Noonan  and  others. 
They  also  killed  Rumanas  Gross  and  his  son,  near  where 
La  Coste  station  is  now.  They  crossed  the  Rio  Grande 
somewhere  between  Eagle  Pass  and  Laredo  when  return- 
ing to  Mexico,  and,  probably,  they  reached  the  place 
where  we  saw  them  that  morning  and  were  resting  after 
the  fatigues  of  the  journey. 

Another  trip,  in  1868,  when  I  arrived  at  Lampazos,  on 
my  way  to  Monterey,  the  people  informed  me  that  the 
country  was  swarming  with  Indians  on  the  war-path,  and 
they  advised  me  not  to  proceed  further  until  news  could 
be  had  from  the  soldiers  who  were  in  pursuit  of  them.  I 
was  told  that  a  body  of  about  sixty  Indians  were  holding 
a  position  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sierra  Colorado  Pass, 
and  that  a  small  detachment  of  Mexican  troops  had  ad- 
vanced to  the  east  side  of  the  pass,  about  twenty- two 
miles  distant,  but  were  unable  to  drive  the  savages  from 
the  point  they  occupied. 

The  pass  was  on  my  route  and  after  determining  to 
proceed  I  started  as  usual  between  two  and  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  and  drove  to  the  place  held  by  the  soldiers. 
They  told  me  that  the  Indians  were  still  on  the  other  side 
of  the  pass,  and  it  would  be  unsafe  for  me  to  go  on,  so  I 
took  their  advice  and  returned  to  Lampazos.  Later 
in  the  day  the  soldiers  were  reinforced,  and  an  attack  was 
made,  in  which  many  Indians  were  killed  and  the  others 
were  driven  into  the  mountains. 

I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  turning  back,  but  the  lives 
of  my  passengers  would  have  been  jeopardized  if  I  had 
done  otherwise,  and  as  I  had  women  and  children  under 
my  care  I  could  not  afford  to  take  any  chances.  One 
was  the  wife  of  Jose  Brosic,  with  his  three  children,  her 
mother,  and  her  sister,  all  of  whom  took  the  stage  at 
Piedras  Negras;  another  was  Pedro  Morales,  the  as- 
sistant customs-house  officer  at  that  place. 


88  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

Mr.  Brosic,  of  Villaldama,  who  was  then  paymaster 
of  the  Mexican  army  on  the  frontier,  was  at  the  ranch 
of  Golondrinas,  west  of  Sierra  Colorado  Pass,  with  an 
escort  of  ten  men  waiting  to  meet  his  family,  and  he  was 
overjoyed  when  he  saw  them  safely  arrive  the  second  day 
after  we  left  Lampazos.  He  had  good  reason  to  be  un- 
easy, because,  it  was  said  that,  during  the  time  the  In- 
dians were  on  that  raid,  they  killed  thirty  or  forty  people. 

These  few  Indian  alarms  are  about  all  that  I  ex- 
perienced when  staging  to  Monterey.  They  were  of  little 
consequence  in  comparison  with  the  thrilling  adventures 
of  others  on  the  frontier,  but  the  excitement  they  oc- 
casioned gave  variety  to  a  journey  that  would  otherwise 
have  been  monotonous.  We  met  with  few  accidents  on 
our  route  during  the  two  years  of  its  continuance,  and  I 
can  only  recall  one  of  a  serious  nature,  that  happened  in 
1868.  As  it  was  one  in  which  the  lives  of  many  pas- 
sengers were  involved,  the  circumstances  are  vividly  im- 
pressed on  my  mind,  but  fortunately  my  foresight  averted 
a  fatal  disaster. 

I  was  on  my  way  to  Monterey,  but  knowing  the 
Sabinas  River  was  flooded,  I  turned  from  my  usual  route 
and  went  to  a  ferry  at  the  Paso  del  Cocha,  a  short  dis- 
tance above.  I  arrived  there  about  daybreak,  but  found 
that  the  channel  of  the  river  was  about  one  hundred  feet 
wide  and  about  fifteen  feet  in  depth.  It  was  full  of  water 
to  the  top  of  the  banks,  from  recent  rains,  and  it  was  a 
raging  torrent.  The  current  of  the  river,  at  its  natural 
stage,  was  always  rapid,  though  at  such  times  it  was 
fordable ;  but  a  ferry  was  maintained  at  the  crossing  for 
the  convenience  of  travelers  when  the  river  was  swollen. 

I  was  not  deterred  by  the  swiftness  or  turbulence  of  the 
water,  but  determined  to  encounter  the  risks  and  made 
immediate  preparations  for  passing  over  the  river.  The 
little  ferry-boat  was  only  about  8  ft.  wide  and  25  ft. 
long,  consequently  its  capacity  was  limited,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  make  three  trips  across.  One  of  them,  in 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  89 

which  the  mules  and  harness  were  transported,  consumed 
two  hours,  but  when  the  coach  with  all  its  luggage  was 
loaded  on  the  boat,  preparatory  to  making  the  second 
trip,  the  ferry-man  insisted  that  the  passengers  should 
go  with  it,  but  I  protested  against  the  arrangement, 
because  the  craft  was  loaded  to  its  full  capacity,  and  the 
swiftness  of  the  current  made  it  dangerous.  We  finally 
compromised  the  matter  by  an  agreement  on  my  part  to 
pay  the  charges  he  demanded  for  a  third  trip. 

The  first  trip  was  made  without  the  slightest  difficulty 
and  unloaded  at  the  usual  landing  place,  but  the  second 
was  less  fortunate.  Each  time,  before  crossing,  the  boat 
was  pulled  by  a  rope  up  the  river,  near  the  bank,  where 
the  water  formed  an  eddy,  to  a  point  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  above.  When  the  oars  turned  it  toward 
the  opposite  shore  the  rope  was  cast  loose  with  the  ex- 
pectation that  the  force  of  the  water  would  carry  it 
across. 

I  was  on  the  boat  with  two  of  my  men,  and  it  was 
guided  by  four  ferry-men  with  oars  in  front  and  rear, 
but  it  rocked  badly,  partly  because  the  luggage  on  the 
coach  made  it  top-heavy.  When  about  the  middle  of 
the  raging  torrent  the  surging  waters  capsized  the  flat- 
bottomed  craft  and  emptied  its  load  in  the  river.  Those 
on  board  had  prepared  for  casualties  by  stripping  to 
their  underclothing  and  we  plunged  into  the  water. 
When  relieved  of  its  freight,  the  boat  rose  again  to  the 
surface  with  many  loose  articles,  including  the  cushions, 
and  the  current  carried  them  onwards,  but  the  coach  and 
its  load  rested  on  the  bottom  of  the  Sabinas. 

When  the  lady  passengers  and  children,  who  had  been 
left  until  the  last,  saw  the  boat  sink  they  thought  we  were 
all  drowned,  and  I  could  hear  their  piercing  shrieks  as  I 
swam  toward  the  eastern  shore.  We  landed  about  fifty 
yards  below  the  crossing  place  and  relieved  their  anxiety 
as  soon  as  possible  by  joining  them.  They  had  given 
way  to  despair,  under  the  impression  that  they  were  left 


90  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

in  a  desolate  wilderness;  but  before  night  closed  around 
us  all  of  them  were  safely  transported  in  a  rowboat  to 
the  western  shore  where  our  party  was  reunited. 

Our  situation  was  rather  deplorable,  especially  for 
women  and  children,  because  we  were  without  bedding  or 
shelter,  but  afterwards  we  were  able  to  buy  sufficient 
food  from  Mexicans,  who,  with  their  carts,  camped  that 
night  at  the  ferry.  The  country  on  either  side  was  with- 
out habitations  of  any  kind,  and  the  nearest,  on  the  river, 
was  fifty  miles  above  where  the  boatmen  lived.  They 
only  visited  the  ferry  on  horseback  when  the  water  was 
high,  and  generally  made  it  profitable  on  account  of  their 
exorbitant  charges,  which  were  never  less  than  two  dollars 
and  a  half  for  each  trip,  and  they  always  made  me  pay 
ten  dollars  for  my  coach  and  mules. 

We  made  no  attempt  to  recover  the  coach  the  first  day, 
because  we  had  no  appliances  for  taking  it  out  of  the 
river,  even  if  we  could  have  located  it  in  the  deep  water; 
but  that  evening  fortune  favored  us  when  two  trains  of 
Mexican  carts,  numbering  thirty  in  all,  appeared  upon 
the  scene,  and  camped  in  our  vicinity.  I  approached  the 
drivers  immediately,  and  offered  to  pay  them  seventy- 
five  dollars  if  they  would  find  my  coach  and  take  it  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river  where  we  then  were.  They  ac- 
cepted my  proposition  and  nearly  all  the  men  engaged  in 
the  search  the  following  morning,  but  they  were  unsuc- 
cessful until  the  third  day.  They  found  it  lying  on  its 
side  about  four  hundred  yards  below  where  it  sank, 
in  water  about  ten  feet  in  depth.  Chains  and  ropes  were 
fastened  to  the  wheels  and  axles,  by  which  it  was  dragged 
into  shallow  water,  from  where,  after  setting  it  on  its 
wheels,  it  was  pulled  out  to  the  shore. 

Nothing  about  the  coach  was  broken,  but  everything 
that  was  not  secured  was  missing,  including  many 
articles  belonging  to  the  ladies.  The  trunks  and  other 
baggage  in  the  boat  and  on  top  of  the  coach  that  were 
bound  by  heavy  straps  were  all  safe.  Of  course  every- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  91 

thing  was  wet,  dirty,  and  more  or  less  damaged  by  water 
and  mud,  but  we  were  glad  to  recover  them  even  in  that 
condition.  The  lost  stage  cushions  I  afterwards  re- 
placed with  new  ones  that  cost  me  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  but  in  the  meantime  I  supplied  the  deficiency 
by  substituting  straw  and  sheepskins,  which  I  purchased 
from  the  men  of  the  cart  train,  that  answered  the  pur- 
pose. We  did  not  take  time  to  unpack  the  luggage  be- 
fore starting,  and  delayed  our  journey  no  longer  than 
was  necessary  to  hitch  the  team. 

The  following  passengers  were  on  the  stage:  Mrs. 
Buss  and  her  two  children;  Mrs.  Dressal,  a  sister  of  ex- 
Congressman  Schleicher,  and  her  child;  three  Robin  chil- 
dren, of  San  Antonio ;  Charles  Sada,  Dr.  Felix  and  Henry 
Rice,  all  citizens  of  Monterey ;  Colonel  Morales,  of  the 
Mexican  army,  and  several  others  whose  names  I  cannot 
recall.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  not  one  of  them  ex- 
perienced any  serious  inconvenience  on  account  of  the 
accident,  and  they  bore  the  discomforts  to  which  they 
were  obliged  to  submit,  with  becoming  fortitude.  I  was 
heartily  thankful  that  it  was  no  worse,  although  I  was 
put  to  considerable  expense  on  account  of  it. 

The  list  will  convey  an  idea  of  the  patronage  I  received 
on  account  of  the  care  and  attention  I  always  bestowed 
on  my  passengers.  My  thought  fulness  made  me  many 
friends  along  the  route  and  also  in  Monterey  where  there 
was  a  large  foreign  population.  Among  them  were 
Messrs.  Weber  and  Ulrich,  who  did  a  large  commission 
business,  and  Mr.  Ulrich,  who  now  lives  in  San  Antonio, 
was  then  United  States  Consul;  Mr.  A.  Buss,  who  con- 
ducted a  large  lumber  business ;  Mr.  Dressal,  a  large  hard- 
ware merchant ;  Mr.  Lickhart,  Mr.  Cartwright,  Theodore 
Lambert  on,  and  Mr.  George  Paschal,  ex-mayor  of  San 
Antonio,  a  brother  of  Dr.  Frank  Paschal.  These  were 
all  my  friends,  and  they  always  took  a  great  interest 
in  the  line  because  of  the  facility  it  gave  them  to  com- 
municate with  their  friends  in  Texas. 


92  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

On  account  of  the  amicable  feeling  expressed  for  me  I 
never  lacked  attention  and  was  welcome  wherever  I  went, 
consequently  I  entertained  a  good  opinion  of  myself,  until 
on  one  occasion  my  self-conceit  was  lowered  considerably. 
This  incident  occurred  at  a  mesmeric  entertainment  which 
I  attended  through  the  persuasion  of  my  friend,  George 
Paschal. 

I  had  never  seen  an  exhibition  of  the  kind  and  knew 
nothing  about  the  subject.  The  claim  that  one  man 
could  exercise  such  power  over  another,  as  was  repre- 
sented by  Mr.  Paschal,  who  told  me  all  about  it,  seemed 
to  be  absurd.  I  could  not  doubt  the  sincerity  of  his  in- 
formation, because  he  was  evidently  in  earnest;  but  it 
appeared  more  rational  when  he  explained  that  some 
persons  were  more  susceptible  to  the  influence  than 
others. 

When  I  entered  the  room  I  felt  that  I  was  exempt  from 
mesmeric  powers  and  that  it  would  be  foolish  for  any 
man  to  attempt  to  bring  me  under  his  control  against 
my  will.  The  gentleman  was  from  California,  and  he 
appeared  to  be  about  forty  years  of  age.  I  was  intro- 
duced to  him  and  we  entered  into  conversation.  He  in- 
quired if  I  had  any  belief  in  mesmerism ;  and  I  answered, 
"  None  at  all,  nor  do  I  think  that  any  person  could  con- 
trol my  thoughts  and  actions  contrary  to  my  will,  or  that 
I  would  submit  to  another's  power  except  by  the  exercise 
of  superior  force,"  and  then  closed  by  saying  that  I  was 
open  to  conviction. 

I  met  his  gaze  as  he  looked  intently  into  my  eyes  and 
said,  "  You  are  about  the  weakest  subject  I  have  had  in 
the  house."  I  was  so  much  disconcerted  by  his  opinion 
that  I  did  not  know  what  to  say  and  remained  silent.  He 
then  placed  both  of  his  hands  on  my  head,  and  imme- 
diately after  I  yielded  to  a  drowsy  feeling  that  over- 
came me.  I  knew  nothing  more  until  I  was  restored  to 
consciousness  and  found  myself  undressed  to  my  under- 
clothing. Evidently  I  had  been  made  to  perform  all  sorts 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  93 

of  antics  for  the  amusement  of  the  company,  and  their 
mirthful  humor  indicated  that  they  had  been  witnessing  a 
regular  monkey  show. 

My  over-confidence  in  my  mental  powers  was  consider- 
ably weakened  on  that  occasion,  and  perhaps  it  was  a 
good  lesson,  because  I  was  more  conservative  afterwards. 
I  was  convinced  that  the  human  mind  is  amenable  to 
mysterious  powers  that  are  beyond  our  comprehension, 
and  that  under  certain  conditions  it  must  yield  to  a 
superior  control. 

I  might  relate  many  other  reminiscences  connected  with 
Monterey  during  the  continuance  of  our  stage  business, 
and  some  of  them  are  pleasant  to  recall,  but  perhaps  they 
would  not  interest  the  reader.  Many  customs  prevailed 
there  among  the  natives  that  would,  perhaps,  attract 
only  a  casual  notice,  but  some  of  them  are  quite  interest- 
ing. One  of  the  strangest  sights  to  me  was  the  facility 
with  which  the  cargadores  or  carriers  of  Mexico  convey 
enormous  weights  on  their  backs.  The  dexterity  dis- 
played in  handling  their  burdens  and  the  perfect  ease 
with  which  they  transport  them  have  always  created  as- 
tonishment in  the  mind  of  the  observer.  The  fact  that 
a  man  weighing  not  exceeding  one  hundred  and  sixty 
pounds,  will  place  five  hundred  pounds,  or  more,  on  his 
back  and  trot  off  with  it,  seemingly,  without  the  slightest 
inconvenience,  is  certainly  remarkable,  consequently  the 
custom  is  worthy  of  a  more  extended  notice. 

The  truth  of  the  axiom  that  "  there  is  a  trick  in  all 
trades,"  is  not  questioned,  and  the  cargador,  who  is  al- 
ways an  expert  in  his  business,  has  brought  his  to  per- 
fection. His  secret  lies  in  the  use  of  a  cushion  that 
removes  the  direct  pressure  and  friction  of  the  weight 
from  his  body.  It  rests  against  the  lower  part  of  the 
back,  between  the  hips,  where  it  helps  to  give  a  swing  to 
his  burden  corresponding  with  the  movements  of  the  body 
and  legs  of  the  carrier  when  traveling  in  a  jog-trot.  The 
pad  is  called  a  muelle,  and  usually  it  is  about  six  inches 


94  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

thick,  ten  inches  wide,  and  fourteen  inches  long.  The 
muelle  is  suspended  to  a  strap  about  four  inches  wide, 
after  it  is  secured  to  a  corner  at  each  end,  then  the  loop 
passes  behind  the  shoulders  and  rests  against  the  fore- 
head. 

The  cargador,  when  about  to  receive  his  load,  turns  his 
bent  back  to  it  and  instantly  begins  to  lift  .his  feet  up  and 
down,  similar  to  soldiers  when  marking  time.  The  move- 
ment gives  a  swing  to  the  body  and  the  same  rhythmical 
motions  are  observed  in  the  hips  and  knees,  with  which 
the  two  or  more  assistants,  who  hold  the  load,  keep  time, 
after  the  weight  is  received  by  the  hooks  of  the  carrier, 
until  it  is  in  the  proper  position.  He  grasps  his  burden 
with  a  hook  in  each  hand  and  the  instant  it  is  correctly 
placed  on  his  back  the  carrier  trots  off  and  it  adapts 
itself  to  his  preliminary  movements.  Another  secret  is 
the  necessity  of  maintaining  the  same  rate  of  speed  with- 
out stopping  until  relieved  of  their  load;  because  if  they 
should  halt  even  for  a  moment  or  even  check  their  gait, 
their  burden  would  tumble  to  the  ground  or  they  would 
be  crushed  by  its  weight. 

I  have  often  seen  a  continuous  line  of  such  carriers 
moving  bales  of  cotton  on  their  backs  almost  in  double- 
quick  time,  in  Matamoras  and  Monterey,  a  distance  of 
four  hundred  yards,  and  I  never  saw  one  of  them  use  the 
least  exertion.  It  is  said  that  they  can  carry  a  piano, 
that  weighs  more  than  a  bale  of  cotton,  in  like  manner, 
and  with  the  same  ease.  Many  times  when  I  was  hauling 
money  from  Chihuahua  to  other  places  I  would  employ 
cargadores  to  help  me  load  it  on  my  wagons,  by  carrying 
it  nearly  a  mile  to  the  Meson.  A  load  for  one  of  them 
was  four  thousand  dollars  in  silver  in  two  boxes,  which 
together  weighed  two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  and 
they  would  move  off  with  them  without  an  effort.  The 
usual  charge  for  such  services  was  twenty-five  cents  for 
each  trip,  and  they  handled  for  me  in  that  way  at  various 
times  many  hundred  thousand  dollars. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  95 

The  cargador  everywhere  in  Mexico  is  entirely  trust- 
worthy, and  no  one  is  liable  to  suffer  loss  on  account  of 
his  carelessness  or  dishonesty.  Those  who  are  eligible  for 
such  employment  are  men  hardened  by  labor,  and  the 
applicant  must  be  recommended  by  one  or  more  respon- 
sible persons  who  have  known  him  a  number  of  years,  and 
can  testify  to  his  honesty  and  integrity  of  character,  be- 
fore his  petition  is  presented  at  the  Palacio  Municipal. 
If  its  endorsements  are  satisfactory  a  license  is  issued  to 
the  applicant,  for  which  he  deposits  about  fifty  dollars 
as  security,  and  a  badge  is  given  him  on  which  is  a  num- 
ber that  is  entered  before  his  name  in  a  book  kept  for  that 
purpose. 

When  a  cargador  approaches  a  person  and  offers  his 
services  he  politely  calls  attention  to  his  number  and 
solicits  employment.  Strangers  need  not  concern  them- 
selves about  the  safety  of  baggage  entrusted  to  their  care, 
but  it  is  always  proper  to  make  a  memorandum  of  his 
number  to  guard  againsb  accidents.  No  transfer  com- 
pany in  the  United  States  could  assure  greater  safety  or 
more  prompt  delivery  of  property  than  these  humble  car- 
riers in  Mexico,  who  never  strike  for  higher  wages  and 
are  always  ready  to  work. 

Our  stage  line  to  Monterey  was  discontinued  in  August, 
1869,  on  account  of  sudden  changes  in  the  custom-house 
officers  at  Eagle  Pass  and  Piedras  Negras  by  both  gov- 
ernments, because  the  removal  of  our  friends  naturally 
affected  our  business.  During  the  two  years  the  line  was 
in  operation  I  was  constantly  on  the  road,  nor  did  I  ever 
miss  accompanying  our  stage  on  any  one  of  the  forty- 
eight  trips  we  made  from  San  Antonio  to  Monterey  and 
back,  and  I  had  sole  charge  of  the  business.  Our  net 
profits  were  large  and  we  hated  to  give  up  the  line,  but 
were  compelled  to  do  so. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  all  the  pas- 
sengers that  I  can  recall  who  traveled  on  our  stage  to  and 
from  San  Antonio,  Texas,  and  Monterey,  Mexico: 


96  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Colonel  Bliss  and  Colonel  Shatter  of  the  United  States 
army. 

Mrs.  Eliza  Noll  and  Mrs.  Schenk,  of  Austin,  Texas. 

Nicholas  Burke,  Mr.  Dolch  and  family,  Mr.  Dresch  and 
family,  George  and  Fred  Enderle,  Mr.  Grober,  James 
Riddle,  A.  Salinas  and  family,  Mr.  Stone  and  family, 
Sam  White  and  Daniel  Wueste,  of  Eagle  Pass,  Texas. 

Wolfgang  Kapp,  of  Germany. 

Pedro  Lastro,  of  Indianola,  Texas. 

General  Naranjo,  Filipe  Naranjo,  and  Mrs.  Carnales, 
of  Lampazos,  Mexico. 

General  Escobedo  and  Colonel  Morales  of  the  City  of 
Mexico. 

Mrs.  Buss,  Mr.  Degetau,  Mr.  Doese,  A.  Douglas  and 
family,  Mr.  Drissil  and  family,  Henry  Dreiss,  Dr.  Felix, 
Henry  Rice,  Charles  Sada,  Gonzales  Trevino,  John  Weber, 
and  Charles  Ziegler,  of  Monterey,  Mexico. 

Frank  and  Mrs.  Coreth,  and  Julius  Mauraux,  of  New 
Braunfels,  Texas. 

Mr.  Labenburg  and  Major  Magirdy,  of  New  York  city. 

Nicholas  Gresanto  and  family,  of  Piedras  Negras, 
Mexico. 

Mr.  Koenig,  of  Paras,  Mexico. 

Ex-Governor  Abristo  Madero,  of  Saltillo,  Mexico. 

Dan  Bonnett,  Henry  Brown,  Lorenzo  Castro,  Mr. 
Elmendorf,  A.  B.  Frank,  John  Fries,  Mr.  Frittilier,  Fer- 
dinand and  Captain  Juan  Garza,  Francisco  Gilbeau,  H. 
Grenett,  Charles  Griesenbeck,  Carl  Groos,  F.  Groos  and 
family,  and  Gustave  Groos,  John  Guerguin,  Meyer  and 
Saul  Halff,  Mr.  Herman,  Mr.  Koenigheim,  Ernest  Kramer, 
Mrs.  Lottie  Muenzenberger,  Russell  Norton,  George  Pas- 
chal, Mr.  Pentenrieder,  Antonio  Rivas,  August  and 
Martin  Robin,  ex-Congressman  Schleicher,  Herman 
Schleuning,  Angelo  Torres,  Mr.  Ulrich,  and  R.  Wolfing, 
of  San  Antonio. 

Santiago  Tomas,  of  San  Domingo,  Mexico. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  97 

Carlos  Brosic  and  family  and  Machor  Sanchez,  of 
Villaldama. 

Thomas  B.  McManus,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

I  could  tell  many  things  that  would  be  interesting  con- 
cerning other  people,  but  my  information  must  neces- 
sarily be  confined  to  my  own  experiences  and  this  sketch 
must  suffice,  though  I  will  add  that  they  were  the  hardest 
two  years'  work  I  ever  did  in  my  life. 

After  settling  up  the  business,  we  dissolved  partner- 
ship, and  Captain  Muenzenberger  moved  to  Santa  Rosa, 
Mexico,  with  his  family,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  and 
the  milling  business.  I  retained  the  mules  and  bought 
others  with  which  I  started  a  train  of  wagons  on  my  own 
account. 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE  discontinuance  of  our  stage  line  practically  cut  off 
all  regular  communication  between  Texas  and  Mexico  un- 
til other  means  was  established.  But  for  the  interruption 
to  our  business,  it  is  probable  that  we  would  have  in- 
creased our  service  to  a  weekly  line  in  each  direction  and 
made  it  permanent  through  concessions  we  had  in  pros- 
pect. My  individual  efforts  had  made  it  remunerative, 
and  I  gained  a  large  amount  of  practical  experience  that 
was  valuable  in  my  later  enterprises.  I  had  encountered 
all  the  dangers  and  difficulties  on  the  route  successfully, 
and  learned  to  rely  largely  on  my  own  judgment,  there- 
fore, I  felt  competent  to  grapple  with  larger  undertak- 
ings. I  became  acquainted  with  numerous  people  and 
claim  to  have  gained  the  confidence  of  many  business  men 
through  my  transactions  with  them  which  gave  me  a 
commercial  standing. 

With  these  advantages  in  my  favor  I  did  not  hesitate 
to  invest  my  hard-earned  profits  in  my  new  business  of 
freighting,  with  which  I  was  familiar.  My  former  ex- 
periments served  as  a  guide  and  I  secured  six  large, 
strongly  built  wagons,  called  "  prairie  schooners,"  and 
ten  mules  for  each  of  them,  besides  a  few  extra  animals 
for  emergencies.  I  then  employed  competent  drivers  and 
placed  my  train  in  charge  of  Theodore  Lamberson,  who 
came  with  me  from  Mexico.  My  wagons  made  their  first 
trip  to  Indianola,  in  September,  1869,  a  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles,  with  a  cargo  of  wool  that  be- 
longed to  Mr.  Lockwood,  the  banker  in  San  Antonio,  and 
others.  On  account  of  constant  rains  and  high  water 
the  wool  got  wet  and  I  was  held  responsible  for  the 
damage  it  sustained,  consequently  I  had  to  pay  Lock- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  99 

wood's  losses  to  the  amount  of  about  twelve  hundred 
dollars  and  six  hundred  dollars  on  other  claims.  This 
drain  on  my  resources  in  the  very  beginning  of  my  new 
enterprise  only  stimulated  me  to  greater  exertions  and  I 
determined  to  enlarge  the  scope  of  my  business  by  ex- 
tending my  route  to  the  city  of  Chihuahua,  in  Mexico,  for 
which  purpose  I  increased  the  number  of  wagons  in  my 
train. 

Goods  were  then  moved  through  Texas  from  Indianola 
to  Mexico  under  bond.  The  guarantee  was  exacted  by 
the  Federal  custom-house  officials  to  insure  prompt  trans- 
portation through  the  United  States  to  the  Mexican  bor- 
der where  the  duties  were  paid,  and  all  bonded  freight 
for  Mexico  was  shipped  from  that  point  until  1877.  In 
that  year  the  Galveston,  Harrisburg  and  San  Antonio 
railroad  was  completed  to  Luling,  and  I  persuaded  Col- 
onel C.  C.  Gibbs  to  use  his  influence  to  have  the  road 
bonded.  It  was  done,  and  my  wagon  train  hauled  the 
first  bonded  freight  that  was  consigned  to  that  point 
through  Messrs.  Heicke  &  Helfrisch,  of  Galveston,  Texas. 

I  commenced  my  first  trip  from  Indianola  to  Chihuahua 
and  Parral,  Mexico,  on  a  journey  of  eleven  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  in  December,  1869.  The  goods  I  received  were 
loaded  out  of  the  bonded  warehouse  of  Messrs.  August 
and  Valentine  Heicke,  commission  merchants  in  Indianola, 
after  I  had  given  a  heavy  bond,  payable  to  the  United 
States,  to  insure  their  prompt  transportation.  My  sup- 
plies for  the  trip  were  purchased  from  the  grocery  store 
owned  by  Mr.  Dan  Sullivan,  now  a  banker  in  San  Antonio. 

I  was  personally  unacquainted  with  the  route  beyond 
Fort  Clark,  but  as  I  traveled  with  Mr.  Froboese's  train 
to  Fort  Stockton  I  felt  no  uneasiness  on  that  account  be- 
cause I  had  men  in  my  employ  who  were  familiar  with 
all  the  watering  places.  I  knew  that  the  country  was 
infested  by  Indians,  but  I  did  not  worry  about  them  after 
providing  an  abundant  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition, 
and  adopting  suitable  precautions. 


100  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  road  we  traveled  from  Indianola  passed  through 
San  Antonio,  Castroville,  Uvalde,  to  Fort  Clark,  a  United 
States  military  post,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  west  of 
San  Antonio.  It  is  on  a  hill  on  the  west  side  of  Las 
Moras  Creek,  opposite  the  town  of  Brackett.  This  place 
was  the  last  settlement  on  the  El  Paso  road,  in  1856, 
when  the  fort  was  first  established.  Thirty-five  miles 
beyond  is  San  Felipe  Springs,  where  Del  Rio  is  now  sit- 
uated. These  beautiful  springs  and  adjoining  land  were 
secured  by  Jim  Taylor,  Joe  Ney  and  others  as  early  as 
1866.  Two  years  later  farms  were  opened  and  water 
for  irrigating  purposes  was  taken  out  of  San  Felipe  Creek 
at  a  point  from  which  a  thousand  or  more  acres  could  be 
watered.  It  was  about  the  first  irrigated  farm  west  of 
San  Antonio,  and  the  land  could  not  be  bought  then  for 
fifty  dollars  per  acre. 

The  next  interesting  place  is  Devil's  River,  twelve  miles 
beyond,  in  a  northwesterly  direction.  The  first  crossing 
was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  places  I  ever  beheld,  and 
its  pure  crystal  water,  in  addition  to  the  attractive  scen- 
ery, excited  the  admiration  of  everyone.  The  stream  was 
fully  five  hundred  feet  across,  and  the  water  ran  from 
two  to  three  feet  deep  on  a  smooth  rock  bottom.  After 
crossing  the  river  and  going  four  miles  west  we  passed 
Painted  Cave,  that  was  once  a  favorite  resort  of  the  In- 
dians. Its  name  was  conferred  on  account  of  numerous 
Indian  paintings  on  the  walls,  such  as  chasing  buffalo, 
scalping  white  men  and  stealing  white  children,  war- 
dances,  and  many  other  things  that  were  quite  legible 
until  recent  years.  Twenty  miles  beyond,  in  a  northwest 
direction,  is  the  narrow  canon  called  Dead-man's  Pass, 
where  many  unfortunate  travelers  have  lost  their  lives 
near  the  south  entrance.  Fort  Hudson  is  located  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  second  crossing  of  Devil's  River,  twenty 
miles  farther  in  the  same  direction,  but  it  was  abandoned 
at  the  commencement  of  the  Civil  War  and  was  never 
reoccupied.  Twenty-three  miles  further,  at  the  eigh- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  101 

teenth  crossing  of  Devil's  River,  is  Beaver  Lake;  and 
forty-five  miles  beyond,  in  a  northwest  direction,  is 
Howard's  Well,  that  has  an  abundant  flow  of  delicious 
water.  The  site  of  Fort  Lancaster,  an  early  military 
post,  that  was  abandoned  before  the  Civil  War,  is  forty- 
eight  miles  beyond.  A  more  desirable  location  for  a  fron- 
tier post  could  not  be  found  in  the  western  country.  It 
it  situated  near  the  west  base  of  a  high  mountain,  on  the 
east  side  of  Lancaster  Creek,  in  which  flows  a  constant 
stream  of  limpid  water,  that  empties  ftnto  the  Pecos 
River,  a  mile  below. 

We  traveled  four  miles  to  the  lowest  ford  before  cross- 
ing the  Pecos  River,  a  few  miles  above  the  present  site  of 
the  wonderful  steel  bridge  on  the  Sunset  Railway  that 
spans  the  river  at  the  height  of  321  feet  above.  From 
thence  we  journeyed  in  a  northerly  direction  to  a  place 
called  Horse-head  crossing,  where  the  Concho  road  inter- 
sects with  the  route.  The  next  place,  forty  miles,  in  a 
western  direction,  is  Fort  Stockton,  an  important  mili- 
tary post,  where  United  States  troops  were  stationed. 
It  may  be  noted  that  the  entire  distance  of  230  miles  from 
Del  Rio  to  this  point  was  uninhabited.  An  open  coun- 
try surrounds  the  fort  on  all  sides,  but  there  is  little  to 
recommend  the  site  and  its  most  objectionable  feature  i» 
the  strong  alkali  water  that  can't  be  surpassed  in  the 
country. 

Nine  miles  west  of  the  post  is  Leon  Water-hole,  that  is 
also  strongly  impregnated  with  alkali,  and  it  is  as  clear 
as  crystal.  The  spring  is  thirty  feet  in  diameter  and 
so  deep  that  the  bottom  has  never  been  touched.  Once, 
it  is  said,  the  depth  was  tested  by  a  party  of  over-land 
travelers  who  camped  there  and  threw  two  of  their  wagon 
wheels,  that  had  loose  tires,  into  the  hole.  They  spent 
the  next  three  days  dragging  for  them  with  long  ropes, 
without  being  able  to  recover  them,  and  perhaps  the 
wheels  will  remain  there  indefinitely. 

We  left  the  El  Paso  road  at  Leon  Water-hole  and  fol- 


102  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

lowed  the  route,  leading  in  a  southwest  direction,  to 
Presidio  del  Norte,.  distant  WO  miles,  that  was  then  with- 
out a  habitation.  The  first  watering  place,  forty  miles 
beyond,  is  Leon  Seto,  that  was  settled  two  years  later  by 
Joe  Head.  Forty  miles  further  is  Burges  Water-hole. 
Then  we  traveled  twenty  miles  to  Antelope  springs,  that 
is  better  known  as  Barando.  The  next  water  is  at  Tin- 
acha  San  Stevens,  thirty  miles  beyond.  Then  comes 
El  Alamita  at  the  distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  which 
is  forty  miles  from  Presidio  del  Nor-te,  that  was  also  set- 
tled two  years  later  by  John  Davis.  These  distances 
make  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  miles,  and  the  road  is 
tolerably  good  excepting  the  last  forty  miles,  which  is 
hilly,  and  the  sand  is  heavy,  but  its  principal  recom- 
mendation is  an  abundance  of  grass  that  affords  good 
pasturage. 

Presidio  del  Norte  is  situated  on  the  Mexican  side  of 
the  Rio  Grande  below  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Conchas,  and 
Presidio  is  on  the  Texas  side,  where  the  Cibolo  Creek 
empties.  Custom-houses,  were  established  in  both  these 
towns  by  the  two  republics,  and  a  large  quantity  of  goods 
passed  through  them.  The  river  at  that  point  is  always 
fordable,  except  when  the  water  is  high,  and  then  the 
passage  is  made  on  ferry-boats. 

After  submitting  an  inventory  of  my  freight  for  in- 
spection to  the  United  States  officials,  who  approved  it, 
I  crossed  at  the  ford  into  Mexico,  and  my  train  was 
placed  under  guard  until  the  inspectors  verified  my  mani- 
fest and  the  duties  on  the  bonded  goods  were  paid.  I 
received  courteous  treatment  from  the  officials  of  both 
governments  and  was  not  unnecessarily  delayed. 

I  resumed  my  journey  and  traveled  forty-five  miles 
to  El  Rancho  de  la  Mula  over  a  tolerably  good  road. 
Thence  to  Chupadero  it  is  sixty  miles,  and  from  there  to 
Julimes  is  ninety  miles  through  a  desert  country  without 
water,  except  at  Chupadero,  where  the  supply  was 
scarcely  sufficient  for  my  teams,  but  afterwards,  when 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  103 

passing  over  the  route,  I  secured  an  ample  supply  by 
sending  two  men  six  hours  ahead,  with  tools  to  dam  up 
the  water  below  the  rock  from  where  the  water  escaped. 

From  Julimes  to  Bachamba  ranch,  that  belonged 
to  the  McManus  family,  of  Chihuahua,  the  distance  is 
twenty  miles  over  a  road  heavy  with  sand  and  the  coun- 
try is  covered  with  brush  and  cactus.  From  the  ranch 
to  Chihuahua  is  thirty  miles,  and  the  road  traverses 
the  Hojito  Canon,  one  of  the  most  dangerous  places 
on  account  of  Indians,  in  the  State.  It  is  only  about 
five  miles  long  where  it  passes  through  the  Sierra  Madre 
range,  and  many  persons,  including  large  parties,  have 
been  killed  there  by  savages,  but  beyond  the  mountain 
pass  the  road  is  good  and  safe  to  Chihuahua.  The  en- 
tire distance  from  Presidio  may  be  estimated  at  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles. 

After  delivering  my  freight  that  was  consigned  to 
Chihuahua,  it  was  necessary  to  retrace  my  route  about 
thirty  miles  to  the  McManus  ranch,  to  avoid  the  moun- 
tains, where  the  road  turned  southward  to  Parral,  which 
is  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles  from 
Chihuahua.  After  leaving  the  ranch  the  road  passes 
through  a  farming  country  about  twenty  miles,  where 
Augustine  and  Tomas  Cordero,  two  brothers,  owned  a 
large  irrigated  farm  in  the  Conchas  valley  that  they  sold 
for  $250,000  in  1872.  We  then  came  to  the  Rio  Conchas 
and  passed  through  the  town  of  San  Pablo  that  then  had 
a  population  of  about  two  thousand  souls ;  then  through 
Santa  Cruz  with  about  three  thousand.  The  next  place 
was  the  beautiful  town  of  Santa  Rosalia  with  about  seven 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  then  we  arrived  at  the  mining 
town  of  Parral.  The  entire  road  after  leaving  the  Mc- 
Manus ranch  was  bad  and  hard  on  the  teams. 

I  loaded  my  wagons  at  Parral  with  bars  of  silver  and 
crude  copper  ore,  belonging  to  F.  Stalfort,  of  Parral,  and 
hauled  it  to  Chihuahua.  The  silver  was  coined  there 
into  Mexican  dollars  at  the  mint  belonging  to  Henry 


104  A  TEXAS   PIONEER 

Mutter,  who  was  licensed  to  coin  money  for  the  govern- 
ment under  a  contract  which  allowed  him  twelve  and  a 
half  per  cent,  for  all  the  money  that  was  turned  out  by 
his  mint. 

I  was  detained  there  ten  days,  waiting  until  the  money 
was  coined,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  dollars 
was  delivered  to  me  for  transportation  to  the  United 
States.  With  it  and  the  copper  ore,  which  was  also  con- 
signed to  parties  in  Texas,  I  started  towards  home  over 
the  same  route  I  had  recently  traveled. 

The  only  incident  worth  noticing  on  our  homeward 
journey  was  observed  near  Santa  Rosalia,  one  Sabbath 
afternoon  after  leaving  Parral,  where  we  saw  a  crowd  of 
between  four  and  five  hundred  men  and  boys  each  with  a 
stout  stick,  about  five  feet  in  length,  in  their  hands. 
They  seemed  to  have  assembled  for  some  definite  purpose, 
but  their  object  was  not  apparent  as  they  stood  in  line 
out  in  an  open  country,  and  the  appearance  excited  my 
curiosity.  I  was  aware  that  my  wagon-master,  Eutimio 
Migarez,  was  born  and  reared  in  the  State  of  Chihuahua 
and  I  asked  him  what  it  meant.  He  informed  me  that  the 
people  had  gathered  with  the  intention  of  exterminating 
jack-rabbits  that  had  become  a  pest  in  the  country  on 
account  of  their  numbers;  that  in  farming  districts  the 
animals  were  often  very  numerous,  and  if  the  nuisance 
was  not  suppressed  the  growing  crops  were  entirely  de- 
stroyed by  them;  that  they  only  foraged  in  the  fields  at 
night,  and  waste  places  in  the  vicinity  sheltered  them 
during  the  day,  consequently  the  only  effective  method 
of  getting  rid  of  the  nuisance  was  to  surround  their  rest- 
ing-places in  the  daytime  with  a  sufficient  number  of  men 
and  kill  them  with  clubs. 

Sunday  afternoon  was  usually  chosen  for  the  slaughter, 
and,  as  the  hunt  was  exciting,  the  occasion  was  one  that 
attracted  every  man  and  boy  in  the  vicinity  who  was  ac- 
tive enough  to  participate  in  the  sport.  A  valley  or 
plain  was  selected  which  the  rabbits  frequented,  and  the 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  105 

party  placed  themselves  in  a  circle  at  intervals  of  from 
fifty  to  one  hundred  yards  from  each  other,  until  the 
area  was  surrounded.  The  hunters  then  advanced  from 
every  direction  and  roused  the  animals,  which  ran  before 
from  their  resting-places  in  the  brush  and  openings.  The 
circle  was  closed  as  quickly  as  possible  so  as  to  form  a 
continuous  line  through  which  it  was  impossible  for  the 
rabbits  to  escape.  Then  the  timid  animals  were  arrested 
in  their  flight  at  every  point  by  threatening  poles  and 
they  became  distracted  with  fright.  When  the  space 
that  enclosed  them  was  sufficiently  contracted  the  work 
of  destruction  with  sticks  commenced  and  it  did  not  cease 
until  the  last  rabbit  was  dead. 

Large  numbers  of  animals  were  killed  in  that  way  in  the 
neighborhood  of  cultivated  land,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
resort  to  the  method  repeatedly,  otherwise  the  crops  would 
have  been  ravaged  by  other  rabbits  that  came  from 
places  more  remote.  Eutimio  said  that  once,  when  a  boy, 
he  joined  a  party  of  hunters  who  killed  between  four  and 
five  hundred  jack-rabbits  in  one  day.  The  Indians  often 
secured  a  supply  of  food  by  similar  means,  and  probably 
the  custom  descended  from  a  remote  period.  In  Kansas, 
where  the  animals  are  numerous,  similar  methods  have 
been  adopted  in  recent  years,  but  they  drive  them  into 
nets  instead  of  killing  them  with  sticks. 


CHAPTER    XII 

BEFORE  the  age  of  railroads  all  over-land  transporta- 
tion in  Texas  and  Mexico  was  done  by  carts  and  wagons. 
For  many  years  ox-teams  were  generally  used  for  hauling 
to  and  from  the  coast  country  to  the  interior,  but  later, 
mules  were  substituted,  to  some  extent,  in  the  business, 
especially  in  the  West,  where  the  country  was  rough  and 
mountainous  and  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  water. 

A  history  of  the  ox-wagon  and  its  usefulness  in  help- 
ing to  develop  the  sparsely  settled  regions  of  Texas,  to- 
gether with  a  description  of  the  habits  and  customs  that 
prevailed  among  the  people  engaged  in  the  business, 
would  be  entertaining  to  those  who  feel  an  interest  in  fol- 
lowing the  progressive  steps  of  civilization.  My  per- 
sonal experiences  as  a  driver  of  an  ox-wagon  for  my 
father,  from  San  Antonio  to  Port  Lavaca,  when  I  was  a 
boy  eleven  years  of  age,  and  about  five  years  later,  when 
I  drove  alone,  qualifies  me  to  express  myself  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  the  details  would  be  too  lengthy  in  this  connec- 
tion. It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  teamsters  made  them- 
selves indispensable  to  the  commercial  world,  but  the  serv- 
ices they  rendered  are  not  appreciated. 

During  that  period  all  freighting  between  Texas  and 
Mexico  was  done  by  individual  owners  of  wagons  and 
Mexican  carts  drawn  by  oxen,  but  they  were  gradually 
displaced  by  trains  of  wagons  hauled  by  mules.  Such 
trains,  consisting  of  ten  or  more  wagons  under  one  man- 
agement, were  common  in  Mexico  long  before  they  were 
seen  in  Texas. 

The  first  wagon  trains  drawn  by  mules  that  hauled 
freight  out  of  San  Antonio  to  Mexico,  before  the  Civil 
War,  were  owned  and  conducted  by  John  Monier,  a 

106 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  107 

Frenchman,  now  residing  in  San  Antonio;  but  before  di- 
recting attention  to  the  subject  other  primitive  means  of 
conveyance  will  be  considered. 

The  ancient  Mexican  cart  was  unique  in  appearance, 
and  as  they  are  still  common  in  that  republic,  its  peculiar 
construction  and  importance  is  worthy  of  particular  no- 
tice. The  most  remarkable  feature  about  them,  as  orig- 
inally constructed,  was  the  absence  of  metal  in  all  of  its 
parts,  which  were  fashioned  exclusively  out  of  cotton- 
wood  timber  and  fastened  together  with  wooden  pins  and 
thongs  of  rawhide. 

The  cart  had  two  wheels,  each  about  seven  feet  high, 
and  both,  separately,  were  made  from  three  pieces  of 
wood  hewn  to  the  proper  dimensions.  The  middle  piece 
was  seven  feet  long,  with  circular  ends,  three  feet  wide, 
and  its  thickness  was  twenty  inches  at  the  hub,  from 
which  it  sloped  to  ten  inches  at  each  end.  The  other  two 
pieces  were  in  the  shape  of  a  half  circle,  about  seven  feet 
long  and  two  feet  wide,  and  they  also  sloped  to  ten 
inches.  These  circular  pieces  when  fitted  to  the  two  sides 
and  secured  to  the  middle  piece  by  four  long  wooden  pins, 
three  by  five  inches  square,  that  passed  through  the  three 
pieces  from  one  rim  to  the  other,  made  a  complete  circle, 
and  formed  the  wheel,  with  a  hub  twenty  inches  through 
and  a  rim  ten  inches  thick.  A  round  hole  that  sloped 
from  six  inches  on  one  side  to  eight  in  diameter  on  the 
other,  was  chiseled  through  the  center  for  the  axle,  and 
the  second  wheel  was  made  exactly  like  it. 

A  live-oak  or  a  pecan  tree  was  selected  for  the  axle 
and  squared  to  eight  inches;  then  a  spindle  was  shaped 
at  each  end  that  sloped  on  the  upper  side  from  seven 
inches  at  the  shoulder  to  five  inches  at  the  end ;  and  when 
the  wheels  were  put  on  they  stood  about  seven  feet  apart. 
The  bed,  which  was  about  six  feet  wide  and  fifteen  feet 
long,  was  framed  out  of  heavy  timbers  firmly  secured  to 
the  axle  by  wooden  pins  and  rawhide  thongs.  The  tongue, 
that  projected  twelve  feet  in  front,  formed  the  center- 


108  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

piece  for  the  bed,  and  passed  over  the  axle  and  both  ends 
of  the  frame,  at  which  points  it  was  also  secured  by 
wooden  pins  and  thongs,  and  other  pieces  formed  the 
bed,  which  was  covered  by  a  thatched  roof  of  straw  that 
was  supported  by  heavy  standards  set  in  the  frame. 

These  carts  are  common  in  many  parts  of  Mexico, 
where  they  have  been  used  a  long  time.  In  the  State 
of  Chihuahua  I  saw  many  of  them  as  late  as  1877,  mostly 
in  San  Pablo,  Santa  Rosalia,  and  Julimes,  but  they 
were  also  used  in  other  towns  in  that  region  where  the 
land  was  irrigated.  The  Cordero  brothers,  whose  farm  of 
two  thousand  acres  has  been  noticed,  also  those  belong- 
ing to  Frank  McManus,  Gustav  Moye  and  many  others, 
used  such  carts  to  haul  corn,  wheat,  and  other  products 
to  market.  A  full  load  for  such  carts  was  thirty-five 
fanegas  of  corn,  that  weighed  about  five  thousand 
pounds,  for  which  five  or  six  yoke  of  oxen  were  required 
as  a  team,  and  they  used  fine  animals  that  were  always 
kept  in  the  best  condition. 

In  Mexico  the  yoke  is  lashed  behind  the  oxen's  horns 
with  a  broad  rawhide  strap  about  twelve  feet  long,  and 
the  first  yoke  is  secured  to  the  end  of  the  tongue.  Any 
number  of  animals  may  then  be  attached  in  couples  at 
certain  distances  apart  to  two  lengths  of  a  rawhide  rope 
extending  from  the  tongue,  that  is  doubled  and  twisted 
together.  The  load  on  the  cart  was  always  equally  dis- 
tributed so  that  it  would  balance  on  the  axle,  and  a  sub- 
stantial stake,  fastened  underneath  to  the  hind  end  of  the 
frame,  with  its  end  near  the  ground,  kept  the  tongue 
on  a  level  and  sustained  the  weight  when  the  cart  was  not 
in  motion. 

The  wheels  and  axles  of  such  carts,  after  long  use, 
wore  away  until  the  former  wabbled  considerably,  and  the 
screeching  they  made  was  awful.  A  remedy  for  the  noise, 
when  it  became  excruciating,  was  prickly-pear  leaves, 
which  were  shoved  in,  one  at  a  time,  and  when  crushed 
on  the  axle  served  as  an  excellent  lubricant. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  109 

These  carts,  but  of  lighter  build  and  drawn  by  only 
three  yoke  of  oxen,  were  often  seen  in  San  Antonio  in 
earlier  times,  when  they  hauled  freight  from  Mexico;  and 
at  one  period  they  entered  into  competition  with  Texas 
freighters  until  serious  disturbances  occurred,  that  are 
known  in  Texas  history  as  the  "  cart  war,"  which  were 
not  quelled  until  the  State  was  forced  to  exercise  its  au- 
thority. This,  and  other  causes,  brought  about  their 
gradual  disappearance,  until  it  is  doubtful  if  one  could 
now  be  found  in  Texas. 

When  Mexico  began  to  be  developed  and  iron  became 
plentiful,  the  carts  were  modernized  to  some  extent,  espe- 
cially in  Nuevo  Leon  and  around  Monterey,  where  the 
wheels  were  reduced  to  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  iron 
was  used  in  their  construction ;  consequently  they  were 
better  proportioned,  the  material  was  lighter  and  one 
yoke  of  oxen  was  commonly  used  to  draw  them.  In  the 
course  of  time  these  also  were  nearly  all  discarded  for 
heavier  cart-wheels  with  tires  six  inches  wide  and  an  inch 
thick,  which  required  three  yoke  of  oxen  to  draw  them, 
that  were  introduced  through  the  agency  of  Mr.  Staacke, 
the  first  large  dealer  in  vehicles  in  San  Antonio,  whose 
business  has  been  noticed. 

Mr.  Staacke  is  also  justly  credited  with  being  the  first 
importer  of  the  heavy  freighting  wagons,  known  as 
"  prairie  schooners,"  that  were  used  for  commercial  pur- 
poses in  connection  with  overland  transportation  to  all 
points  west  of  San  Antonio.  They  were  constructed  to 
withstand  the  wear  and  tear  of  the  rocky  and  moun- 
tainous roads  in  western  Texas  and  Mexico,  and  they 
could  not  be  used  to  advantage  elsewhere  on  account  of 
their  weight,  which  was  estimated  to  be  about  four  thou- 
sand pounds. 

The  following  dimensions  of  a  few  parts  will  convey 
an  idea  of  their  strength:  The  hind  wheels  measured  five 
feet,  ten  inches  in  height,  and  the  tire  was  six  inches  wide 
and  one  inch  thick ;  the  front  wheels  were  built  like  them, 


110  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

but  they  were  twelve  inches  lower.  The  axles  were  of 
solid  iron,  with  spindles  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  all 
the  running  gear  was  built  in  proportion  for  hard  serv- 
ice. The  wagon-bed  was  twenty-four  feet  long,  four  and 
a  half  feet  wide  and  the  sides  were  five  and  a  half  feet 
high.  Wagon-bows  were  attached  to  each,  and  over  them 
two  heavy  tarpaulins  were  stretched,  which  hung  down 
around  the  sides,  that  thoroughly  protected  the  freight. 
On  these  covers  the  train-owner's  name  was  painted,  and 
beneath,  a  number,  from  one  upwards,  to  distinguish  the 
wagons,  in  which  freight  was  loaded  as  it  was  entered  on 
memoranda.  The  woodwork  of  these  wagons  was  painted 
deep  blue  and  the  iron-work  black. 

Every  wagon  was  furnished  with  a  powerful  brake 
which  was  used  to  regulate  the  speed  when  going  down 
steep  hills,  and  two  heavy  chains  were  provided  that  were 
attached  to  the  wagon-body  for  use  in  cases  of  necessity. 
Occasionally  accidents  happened  to  a  brake  and  the 
heavily  loaded  wagon  would  become  uncontrollable,  with 
the  result  that  mules  and  driver  were  often  crushed  to 
death  under  the  wheels. 

The  beam  that  constituted  the  brake  was  seven  feet  in 
length,  six  by  eight  inches  square,  and  it  was  made  out 
of  choice  hickory  timber.  It  was  placed  beneath  the 
wagon-box,  before  the  hind  wheels,  in  two  heavy  iron 
stirrups  that  were  secured  to  the  frame  on  each  side  by 
heavy  braces  or  bolts,  and  a  block  of  wood  was  fastened 
near  each  end  which  pressed  against  the  wheels  when  the 
lever  was  manipulated  by  the  driver  in  his  seat.  He  could 
control  the  motion  of  the  wagon  according  to  the  grade 
by  forcing  the  brake  against  the  wheels  until  they  ceased 
to  revolve,  when  necessary,  or  check  them  at  will  with  a 
motion  of  his  hand  as  easily  as  a  motorman  controls  his 
car. 

An  average  load  for  such  wagons  was  about  seven 
thousand  pounds,  but  generally,  with  ten  small  mules  at- 
tached, sixteen  bales  of  cotton  was  a  load,  because  it 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  111 

could  be  transported  with  more  ease.  The  great  capac- 
ity of  such  wagons  may  be  estimated  by  comparing  them 
with  wagons  used  by  the  United  States  government,  which 
haul  an  average  load  of  three  thousand  pounds  with  six 
large  mules,  and  thereby  prove  their  superior  advantages. 

Bulky  freight  was  usually  top-heavy  and  it  made  the 
wagon  sway  from  side  to  side  with  a  regular  motion  when 
passing  over  rough  roads,  which  practically  threw  the 
weight  alternately  on  two  wheels,  consequently  it  light- 
ened the  draft  on  the  team.  But  when  so  loaded  it  was 
dangerous  to  pass  along  the  sloping  roads  high  up  on 
the  sides  of  mountains ;  and  it  was  then  necessary  to 
attach  ropes  to  the  two  axles  on  the  lower  side,  which, 
after  passing  them  over  the  top  of  the  load,  were  held 
by  a  dozen  men  who  moved  along  the  slope  above  and 
kept  the  wagon  from  toppling  over  into  an  abyss  where 
it  and  the  team  would  be  dashed  to  pieces.  There  are 
many  such  places  on  the  road  from  San  Antonio  to  El 
Paso  where  the  country  is  extremely  rough,  and  the  en- 
tire distance,  with  the  exception  of  about  two  hundred 
miles,  was  a  constant  drag. 

The  mules  used  for  freighting  purposes  were  small  but 
active,  and  they  had  untiring  energy,  with  a  constitution 
that  enabled  them  to  endure  extreme  hardships.  The 
manner  in  which  the  ten  mules  were  hitched  brought  them 
close  to  their  load  and  made  them  almost  a  unit  when  a 
steady  pull  was  necessary.  This  fact,  in  association  with 
their  good  qualities,  more  than  compensated  for  their 
size,  and  their  numbers  were  not  out  of  proportion  to  the 
load  if  the  heavy  mountain  roads  are  considered. 

Before  the  prairie  schooner  was  adopted  as  a  means  of 
communication  between  Texas  and  the  northern  states  of 
Mexico,  commercial  energy  in  that  direction  was  ham- 
pered ;  but  after  they  were  introduced  it  became  interested 
in  the  subject,  and  when  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from 
direct  trade,  between  those  regions  and  the  seaports  of 
Texas,  was  understood,  wagon  trains  of  six  or  more 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

prairie  schooners  were  introduced,  with  a  capacity  to 
move  a  large  quantity  of  freight  in  a  given  time.  These 
were  conducted  under  a  systematic  management  which  in- 
spired confidence,  and  it  was  not  long  before  both  coun- 
tries realized  advantages  through  the  arrangement. 

They  encouraged  San  Antonio  to  extend  her  business 
connections  with  Mexico  more  than  any  enterprise  that 
had  been  started  before  that  period,  and  they  did  much 
towards  stimulating  a  trade  between  the  two  countries 
and  Europe,  which  has  continued  to  grow  until  it  has 
reached  large  proportions.  They  opened  a  way  for  the 
railroads  that  followed  in  their  trail,  which  removed  all 
competition  in  the  way  of  transportation  and  travel  by 
offering  superior  advantages.  The  prairie  schooner  was 
a  humble  pioneer  that  plodded  its  way  slowly  over  plain 
and  mountain,  through  a  wilderness  peopled  by  warlike 
savages,  yet  it  was  appreciated  in  its  day,  and  its  arrival 
at  its  destination  was  greeted  with  far  more  interest  than 
that  manifested  when  a  modern,  up-to-date  train  stops  at 
a  station.  Their  rarity,  and  because  they  were  the  main 
dependence  in  the  West  for  the  transportation  of  goods, 
always  insured  them  a  warm  welcome;  but  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  a  long  train  of  prairie  schooners  was  always 
attractive,  and  they  were  picturesque;  many  of  them 
would  have  commanded  a  romantic  interest  if  the  epi- 
sodes and  tragedies  through  which  they  passed  could  be 
related. 

The  Mexican  trains  could  not  compare  with  those  of 
Americans  in  general  appearance,  but  in  many  respects 
they  were  far  superior,  and  they  were  managed  more  suc- 
cessfully, because  of  the  strictness  with  which  they  con- 
ducted the  business.  Their  wagons  were  clumsily  built, 
with  frames  twenty-four  feet  long,  without  sides,  that 
rested  on  a  heavy  running-gear  with  three  and  a  half- 
inch  axles  and  enormous  wheels  with  six-inch  tires  an 
inch  thick.  They  were  capable  of  carrying  very  heavy 
loads,  and  to  illustrate  the  fact,  a  train  of  twelve  wagons, 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  113 

each  drawn  by  fourteen  mules,  distributed  in  three  sets 
of  four  working  abreast  and  two  to  the  tongue,  would 
transport  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pounds  of 
freight  with  ease  over  the  roads  in  Mexico.  Many  of 
such  trains  were  operated  there,  and  the  largest  were 
owned  by  Rocke  Garady,  David  and  Daniel  Sada,  of 
Monterey,  and  John  Gargin,  of  San  Antonio. 

Their  mules  were  superior  to  ours  because  they  were 
raised  on  their  home  ranches,  and  they  had  the  advantage 
of  being  able  to  select  the  best.  They  did  not  depend 
for  feed  on  grass  alone,  as  the  Americans  were  compelled 
to  do,  but  always  carried  a  sufficient  supply  of  corn  and 
wheat  straw  that  kept  their  animals  in  the  finest  condi- 
tion. On  the  contrary,  all  the  teams  belonging  to  Amer- 
icans showed  hard  service  because  of  their  long  journeys, 
when  they  were  frequently  exposed  to  great  privations 
on  drives  of  ninety  miles  in  length  without  water  and 
often  went  without  corn  or  grass.  The  finest  lot  of  mules 
I  ever  saw  belonged  to  Rocke  Garady,  who  owned  and 
ran  a  train  of  twelve  wagons,  with  fourteen  mules  to 
each,  that  was  known  as  the  finest  outfit  in  Mexico,  and 
I  am  sure  that  their  equal  could  not  be  found  in  the 
United  States. 

The  same  drivers  were  employed  continuously  by  train- 
owners  in  Mexico,  who  were  subject  to  strict  obedience  as 
peons,  and  discipline  was  rigorously  enforced.  The  mules, 
too,  on  account  of  long  service,  were  easily  controlled 
and  became  trained  to  routine  movements.  This  was 
seen  when  it  was  time  to  hitch  up,  after  the  caporal 
walked  to  the  center  of  the  corral  among  the  loose  mules, 
where  he  cracked  his  whip  and  ordered  them  to  their 
places.  Inside  of  five  minutes  every  mule,  sometimes  as 
many  as  two  hundred,  would  stand  in  their  proper  posi- 
tion, backed  up  against  the  wagon  with  their  heads  to- 
wards the  caporal,  ready  for  the  bridles  which  the  drivers 
placed  on  them. 

The  Gonzales  brothers,  of  Saltillo,  owned  a  train  of 


114  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

twenty-five  carts,  with  five  mules  for  each.  They  had 
shafts  in  which  a  mule  was  hitched,  with  one  on  each  side 
and  two  in  front.  They  passed  through  San  Antonio,  in 
1867,  on  their  way  to  New  Braunfels,  where  they  loaded 
each  cart  with  eight  bales  of  cotton,  that  was  bought 
from  Julius  Morron  for  the  Mexican  market.  The  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  mules  in  this  train  knew  their 
own  carts,  and  would  back  up  to  them  with  their  heads 
toward  the  center  of  the  corral  when  the  caporal  gave 
the  signal.  I  saw  them  go  through  the  performance  with- 
out making  a  mistake,  and  John  Monier  will  confirm  the 
truth  of  my  statement. 

This  historical  sketch  of  overland  freighting  in  Texas 
is  necessarily  brief  and  therefore  imperfect,  but  it  will 
serve  as  an  introduction  to  the  business  in  which  I  be- 
came engaged.  I  will  also  anticipate  my  experiences  by 
explaining  some  of  the  customs  and  regulations  that  I 
observed  when  on  the  road,  and  also  refer  to  a  few  of 
the  hardships  and  tell  how  we  guarded  against  Indian 
attacks  and  other  dangers  that  constantly  confronted  us 
during  the  time  that  I  was  freighting  between  San  An- 
tonio and  the  city  of  Chihuahua  in  Mexico. 

The  scarcity  of  water  and  grass  on  the  route  frequently 
made  it  necessary  for  me  to  divide  my  daily  journeys  into 
three  drives  or  camps,  especially  where  the  watering- 
places  were  about  fifty  miles  apart.  Generally,  when 
making  a  long  drive  from  one  watering-place  to  the  next, 
we  started  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  drove 
until  about  six,  when  we  stopped  to  eat  supper  and  graze 
the  teams ;  we  started  again  at  ten  P.  M.,  and  drove  until 
three  A.  M.,  when  we  camped  without  water;  at  seven 
we  were  again  under  way,  and  at  ten  o'clock  we  arrived 
at  the  watering-place,  where  the  teams  were  watered  and 
turned  loose  to  graze  for  about  four  hours,  then  watered 
again  before  being  hitched.  Sometimes,  when  the  dis- 
tance between  the  watering-places  was  less  than  thirty 
miles,  only  one  drive  was  made  that  day,  but  they  did 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  115 

not  occur  often.  Our  longest  was  a  distance  of  ninety 
miles,  between  Julimes  and  Chupadero  in  Mexico,  and  the 
road  was  so  bad  it  usually  required  forty-eight  hours, 
including  stoppages,  without  water  for  my  teams,  though 
sometimes  it  was  made  in  thirty-six  hours. 

The  inconveniences  we  experienced  on  account  of  a 
scarcity  of  water  could  not  compare  to  the  discomforts 
occasioned  by  the  necessity  of  protecting  my  mules  and 
ourselves  against  Indians.  Knowing  that  they  were  con- 
stantly watching  for  an  opportunity  to  overpower  us,  we 
were  compelled  to  be  alert  at  all  times  to  guard  against 
surprises.  When  in  camp  at  noon,  while  the  herd  was 
grazing  in  charge  of  the  caporal,  or  chief  herdsman,  and 
his  assistants,  two  teamsters  stood  guard  on  a  prominent 
elevation  in  the  vicinity,  when  in  the  mountains,  where 
they  could  view  the  surrounding  country,  and  they  were 
relieved  from  time  to  time  by  others  until  the  caporal 
brought  the  mules  into  the  corral  to  be  hitched. 

Arms  used  in  my  train  were  short  needle  guns  of  50 
caliber  that  were  ordered  by  Elmendorf  &  Co.,  of  San 
Antonio,  for  me,  at  a  cost  of  three  hundred  dollars  a 
dozen.  The  gun  was  carried  in  a  scabbard  that  was  fas- 
tened to  the  driver's  saddle  mule,  and  when  in  camp,  as 
a  rule,  it  was  placed  against  the  left  wheel  of  his  wagon. 
The  forty-five  caliber  six-shooter  was  carried  in  a  scab- 
bard on  his  cartridge  belt,  and  if  not,  it  always  was  in 
reach  of  his  hand.  The  belt  carried  fifty  rounds  of  car- 
tridges for  the  needle  gun  and  twelve  rounds  for  the 
pistol.  The  guns  ranged  about  eight  thousand  feet,  and 
the  pistols  about  one  thousand  feet.  I  always  carried 
about  two  thousand  rounds  of  cartridges  for  the  guns  and 
about  five  hundred  for  the  pistols. 

When  camped  at  night  in  a  region  known  to  be  in- 
fested by  Indians,  or  if  the  danger  was  imminent,  a  de- 
tail of  four  men  always  stood  guard  over  the  animals 
when  grazing,  who  were  relieved  every  two  hours,  and  on 
such  occasions  the  caporal,  the  wagon-master  and  all  the 


116  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

teamsters  slept  in  a  group  near  the  train  with  their  arms 
ready  for  use  at  a  moment's  notice. 

My  wagon-train  averaged  about  twelve  wagons,  some- 
times more  and  sometimes  less ;  and  twenty-three  men 
was  about  the  average  number  that  accompanied  it,  in- 
cluding drivers  and  others  in  my  employ.  As  I  worked 
ten  mules  to  a  wagon  and  took  along  about  twenty  loose 
mules  for  emergencies,  the  herd  consisted  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  animals. 

Mexicans  made  the  most  expert  drivers,  and  those  of 
other  nationalities  whom  I  employed  never  gave  equal  sat- 
isfaction. The  most  remarkable  thing  in  their  duties  was 
the  facility  with  which  they  picked  out  their  teams  in  the 
darkest  night,  when  colors  were  not  distinguishable,  and 
they  rarely  made  a  mistake,  but  it  took  a  little  more  time 
to  hitch  up,  or  about  forty  minutes,  against  thirty  min- 
utes in  daylight.  This  talent  is  confined  to  teamsters  of 
that  race,  but  I  never  understood  how  it  was  done.  I 
seldom  found  one  that  was  unreliable,  and  they  were  al- 
ways ready,  night  or  day,  to  attend  to  any  duty  that 
was  required  of  them. 

Every  wagon-train  was  under  the  general  supervision 
of  a  wagon-master,  who  was  responsible  for  its  manage- 
ment at  all  times,  and  directed  its  movements  on  a  jour- 
ney. The  next  important  person  was  the  caporal,  who 
was  constantly  in  charge  of  the  herd  of  extra  mules  when 
moving  and  of  all  the  animals  after  making  a  camp.  His 
duties  required  him  to  look  out  for  watering-places  and 
good  grass,  and  also  to  see  that  the  mules  were  not  mis- 
treated by  the  drivers. 

A  train,  say  of  twelve  wagons,  was  always  divided  into 
two  sections,  and  each  section  of  six  wagons  was  in  charge 
of  a  captain  who  was  held  accountable  for  the  perform- 
ance of  certain  duties  and  the  accuracy  with  which  his 
wagons  were  placed  when  forming  a  corral,  which  was 
provided  for  by  dividing  the  train  into  sections.  The 
captains  generally  were  expert  drivers  who  understood 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  117 

their  business,  and  when  making  a  corral  errors  seldom 
occurred  even  in  cases  of  emergency. 

The  captain  of  the  first  section  drove  wagon  No.  1  in 
the  lead  the  first  day's  journey,  and  the  captain  of  the 
second  section  led  the  train  the  following  day,  conse- 
quently they  were  experienced  in  the  duties  required  of 
them.  These  changes  in  the  positions  of  the  sections 
were  absolutely  necessary  on  a  long  journey,  otherwise 
the  teams  in  the  rear  sections  would  have  been  strained 
entirely  too  much,  on  account  of  frequent  stoppages,  if 
they  had  traveled  continuously  in  the  same  order. 

The  corral  to  which  I  have  referred  was  an  important 
institution  in  the  freighting  business  when  the  train  con- 
sisted of  a  number  of  wagons,  because  it  was  indispen- 
sable for  the  security  of  the  animals  wherever  the  train 
was  encamped,  and  it  served  also  as  a  fortification  which 
afforded  ample  protection  for  man  and  beast  when  at- 
tacked by  Indians  or  other  enemies. 

When  forming  a  corral  with  twelve  wagons  on  a  high- 
way, the  captain  of  the  first  section  drove  wagon  No.  1 
out  of  his  line  of  travel  in  a  curve  to  the  left,  until  his 
team  returned  to  the  roadside  at  an  angle  where  it  was 
stopped  with  its  rear  end  outwards.  Wagon  No.  %  fol- 
lowed, making  a  similar  curve,  and  stopped  when  the  rim 
of  its  front  wheel  was  even  with  and  four  feet  distant 
from  the  rear  rim  of  the  left  wheel  of  No.  1,  with  its 
body  at  the  same  angle.  The  driver  of  No.  3  did  like- 
wise, under  the  guidance  of  the  others,  and  his  wagon 
was  stopped  in  the  same  relative  position,  also,  at  the 
same  angle  as  that  occupied  by  the  other  two  wagons. 
Then  wagons  Nos.  4,  5  and  6  were  turned  out  of  the 
road  and  driven  straight  to  their  proper  stations,  where 
they  stood  at  the  same  distance  with  reference  to  each 
other  and  the  first  three  wagons,  but  the  angle  was  re- 
versed so  as  to  throw  the  rear  wheels  inwards,  conse- 
quently they  formed  a  half  circle,  with  No.  6,  like  No.  1, 
close  to  the  road,  and  all  the  teams  were  on  the  outside. 


118  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  same  maneuvers  were  made  on  the  right  of  the 
road  by  the  captain  of  the  second  section,  who  drove 
wagon  No.  7  in  a  curve  to  within  twelve  feet  of  No.  1, 
where  it  was  stopped  at  the  same  angle  as  that  in  which 
the  last  three  wagons  in  the  first  section  were  placed, 
with  its  rear  end  in  the  same  direction.  The  others  fol- 
lowed in  rotation  and  formed  upon  the  first  wagon  and 
occupied  the  same  relative  positions  to  each  other  as  those 
in  the  first  section  on  the  left,  with  No.  2  standing  within 
twelve  feet  of  No.  6. 

These  two  lines  of  wagons  completed  the  corral  and 
enclosed  an  oval  space  about  75  feet  wide  by  1£0  feet  in 
length,  with  two  main  openings  in  the  front  and  rear 
about  twelve  feet  wide,  and  five  others  between  the  wagons, 
in  both  sections,  each  four  feet  in  width,  that  were  made 
for  the  mules  to  pass  through,  as  a  matter  of  convenience, 
when  preparing  to  harness  the  teams.  All  these  open- 
ings were  provided  with  heavy  ropes  that  were  stretched 
across  them  when  the  mules  were  in  the  corral. 

A  corral  could  be  formed  as  readily  in  any  open  space 
where  there  were  no  roads  or  other  guides,  and  they  were 
always  a  necessity  on  account  of  their  convenience,  which 
no  other  arrangement  could  have  supplied,  because  the 
mules  were  always  taken  from  the  wagons  and  unharnessed 
on  the  outside,  and  there  was  no  place  in  which  they 
could  have  been  secured  so  well.  When  turned  loose  they 
passed  through  the  rear  opening  into  the  corral,  where 
they  were  fed  in  long  canvas  troughs  that  were  stretched 
from  the  wagons,  and  from  there  they  were  driven  in  a 
herd  through  one  of  the  large  openings  to  a  watering- 
place  or  to  pasture  by  the  herders  in  charge  of  the 
caporal. 

After  the  mules  were  returned  to  the  enclosure,  the 
caporal  gave  the  first  intimation  that  it  was  time  to  move 
by  cracking  his  whip  in  the  corral  and  ordered  the  mules 
to  take  their  places,  as  noticed  elsewhere ;  they  were  then 
bridled,  the  ropes  were  removed,  and  every  mule  walked 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  119 

through  the  gap  nearest  the  wagon  to  which  he  belonged. 
They  knew  their  places  as  well  as  a  well-trained  horse  of 
a  fire-engine  when  the  signal  is  given,  and  they  took 
them  with  the  same  certainty,  though  not  as  quickly.  A 
company  of  soldiers  could  not  have  moved  more  orderly 
to  the  places  where  they  belonged,  and  when  harnessed 
and  the  train  was  ready  to  start,  every  animal  was  pre- 
pared to  resume  his  journey. 

Frequently,  when  the  herd  was  driven  from  the  pasture, 
some  of  the  train  mules  did  not  wait  for  the  signal,  but 
took  their  places  at  once,  with  their  rumps  against  the 
wagon,  and  avoided  the  jam  caused  by  the  commotion 
into  which  the  herd  was  thrown  when  ordered  to  their 
places.  This  evidence  will  suffice  to  show  that  the  mules 
were  familiar  with  every  movement  in  the  train.  The 
corral  was  his  home  where  he  was  broken  in,  and  he  never 
forgot  his  training,  nor  the  wagon  or  place  where  he 
worked  in  harness. 

When  traveling  through  the  western  country  in  olden 
times  a  train  was  occasionally  attacked  by  Indians,  and 
it  became  necessary  to  form  a  corral  immediately  for  the 
protection  of  the  men  and  mules.  On  such  occasions  the 
wagons  were  placed  in  the  same  order  as  in  a  corral  for 
an  ordinary  camp,  except  that  no  openings  were  left  be- 
tween them,  but  the  plan  was  reversed  with  reference  to 
the  teams,  because  the  wagons  fronted  inwards  instead  of 
outwards  and  the  mules  were  all  inside  when  the  corral 
was  completed,  except  the  two  teams  of  wagons  No.  1 
and  No.  7,  that  were  in  the  front  opening,  which  were 
detached  and  driven  in  the  enclosure.  When  thus  pro- 
tected the  train  men  were  able  to  repel  any  savage  at- 
tack that  might  have  been  made  unless  overwhelmed  by 
numbers.  Usually  there  was  no  delay  after  the  danger 
passed,  because  none  but  the  two  teams  were  unhitched, 
and  the  train  was  soon  ready  to  move  forward  again  in 
its  usual  order. 

Sometimes  we  were  caught  out  in  awful  blizzards,  and 


120  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

many  times  I  was  alone  with  my  wagons,  while  the  men 
were  in  neighboring  cedar-brakes  with  the  mules,  where 
they  were  driven  for  protection  during  such  freezing 
weather.  On  one  of  my  trips  from  Chihuahua,  when  I 
crossed  the  Pecos  River  at  the  Horse-head  crossing,  and 
traveled  by  way  of  Fort  Concho,  my  train  encountered  a 
ten-days'  spell  of  sleet  and  snow,  and  at  one  place,  at 
the  head  of  the  Concho,  the  grass  was  covered  for  days 
where  the  buffalo  had  eaten  off  the  small  limbs  from  the 
trees  as  far  as  they  could  reach.  Once  a  long  train  of 
wagons  that  was  in  charge  of  Captain  Edgar,  of  San 
Antonio,  was  exposed  to  one  of  such  blizzards,  and  he 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  about  sixty  mules.  They  had 
bunched  together  for  protection  against  the  cold,  but  were 
frozen  to  death,  and  the  place  was  known  many  years 
after  as  "  Edgar's  bone-yard." 


CHAPTER    XIII 

MY  second  visit  to  Chihuahua  was  in  the  early  spring 
of  1870,  but  I  can  recall  nothing  of  interest  connected 
with  the  trip  except  that  a  young  man,  about  whom  I 
have  something  to  say,  traveled  with  me  to  my  destina- 
tion. I  remember  meeting  Colonel  Terrell,  a  pay-master 
in  the  United  States  army,  the  father  of  Dr.  Fred  and 
Henry  Terrell  of  San  Antonio,  who  overtook  me  in  the 
Limpia  Canon  when  on  his  way  to  the  frontier  posts  with 
money  to  pay  the  troops.  His  ambulance  and  two  gov- 
ernment wagons  were  guarded  by  a  detachment  of  twenty- 
five  soldiers.  Sister  St.  Stephens,  of  San  Antonio,  who 
was  visiting  the  forts  in  his  company  in  the  interest  of 
the  orphans,  traveled  with  the  party  under  his  protection. 

The  next  time  I  met  Sister  St.  Stephens  was  at  Fort 
Concho,  where  she  took  the  westbound  stage  as  a  passen- 
ger for  Fort  Stockton,  which  was  also  my  destination,  as 
I  expected  to  overtake  my  train  there  that  had  been  sent 
on  ahead  from  San  Antonio,  where  I  took  the  stage,  and 
she  was  again  visiting  the  forts  in  the  interest  of  the 
orphans  as  on  the  first  occasion.  I  felt  an  interest  in  her 
work  and  inquired  if  she  had  been  successful  in  collecting 
for  her  charities,  and  she  told  me  that  she  had  been 
amply  rewarded  for  her  trouble.  The  other  passengers 
were  Mr.  Head  and  Mr.  Gallagher,  who  resided  at  Fort 
Stockton,  and  our  escort  was  two  soldiers,  furnished  by 
the  government  as  a  protection  for  the  mail,  who  rode 
outside  with  the  driver,  but  as  we  were  all  well  armed 
no  uneasiness  was  felt  on  account  of  Indians. 

Sister  St.  Stephens  was  an  entertaining  traveling  com- 
panion, and  she  made  herself  agreeable  throughout  the 

121 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

trip.  We  sometimes  presumed  on  her  sociability  by  mak- 
ing jolly  remarks,  but  she  did  not  resent  the  liberty  and 
was  always  in  a  pleasant  humor.  Once  I  ventured  to  say 
that  she  could  be  of  no  service  in  case  we  were  attacked 
by  Indians.  She  laughed  and  replied  that  if  such  an 
event  should  happen  her  part  would  be  attended  to 
equally  as  well  as  ours ;  that  we  should  do  the  fighting 
and  she  would  do  the  praying. 

I  have  often  reminded  the  good  sister  of  our  journey 
together,  and  I  always  sent  her  a  token  of  remembrance 
every  month  during  the  many  years  I  transacted  business 
in  San  Antonio.  Her  life  has  been  devoted  to  charitable 
enterprises  and  all  contributions  she  receives  are  worthily 
distributed.  I  think,  and  have  always  expressed  the  be- 
lief, that  Sister  St.  Stephens,  who  now  resides  at  Brack- 
enridge  Villa,  is  one  of  the  noblest  of  women,  and  I  hope 
that  she  will  be  spared  many  years  for  the  helpful  work 
she  is  doing  in  behalf  of  humanity.  Many  helpless  or- 
phans have  been  sheltered,  nourished,  and  trained  partly 
through  her  efforts  in  the  forty  years  since  I  first  became 
acquainted  with  her. 

The  young  man  that  accompanied  my  train,  to  whom  I 
have  referred,  was  a  professional  clock-maker,  and  his 
name  was  Lurman.  He  had  been  sent  from  Europe  for 
the  special  purpose  of  repairing  a  large  clock  in  the 
cathedral,  that  was  bought  in  Germany  by  Carlos  Moye, 
a  wealthy  citizen  of  Chihuahua,  who  was  commissioned 
by  the  city  to  make  the  purchase  when  on  a  visit  to  that 
country. 

The  clock  was  a  splendid  piece  of  workmanship  and  it 
cost  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  but  it  did  not  give 
satisfaction  with  respect  to  keeping  time,  perhaps  because 
it  was  not  put  together  by  one  who  was  familiar  with  its 
mechanism.  An  appeal  was  made  to  the  manufacturers 
to  send  an  expert  to  remedy  the  defect,  and  they  re- 
sponded by  dispatching  Lurman  for  that  purpose.  His 
long  journey  of  several  thousand  miles  was  made  under 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  123 

a  contract  that  stipulated  he  was  to  receive  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  in  addition  to  his  traveling  expenses. 
After  overhauling  the  clock  and  remedying  the  trouble  it 
was  unsurpassed  as  a  timepiece,  and  it  served  as  an  orna- 
ment for  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  Mexico. 

According  to  the  estimation  of  many  competent  judges, 
the  structural  work  and  graceful  outlines  of  the  Cathe- 
dral in  Chihuahua  will  compare  favorably  with  any  in 
the  republic.  I  was  greatly  impressed  by  its  beauty  when 
I  first  saw  it,  because  I  had  never  seen  its  equal,  but 
afterwards  I  visited  others  that  surpassed  it  in  size  and 
decorations. 

The  cost  of  the  building  involved  an  outlay  of  many 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  it  was  all  contributed  from  the 
earnings  of  the  Santa  Eulalia  silver  mines.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Mexico  received  an 
endowment  of  fifty  cents  from  every  mark  of  silver,  valued 
at  $8.50,  that  was  taken  from  the  mines.  Under  Spanish 
rule  the  total  yield  from  the  Santa  Eulalia  mines  was 
$111,000,000,  which  is  equivalent  to  13,058,821  silver 
marks,  consequently  the  tax  levied  on  them  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  Christian  religion  amounted  to  $6,529,4*11,  and 
the  beautiful  cathedral  was  built  with  a  part  of  the 
money.  I  do  not  know  if  this  is  in  history,  but  I  am 
sure  it  is  true,  though  I  am  not  conversant  with  all  of 
the  facts  bearing  upon  the  subject,  nor  do  I  know  when 
the  foundation  of  the  church  was  laid  or  when  it  was 
completed. 

The  State  of  Chihuahua  is  considered  among  the  rich- 
est mineral  regions  in  Mexico,  and  the  statement  about 
the  Santa  Eulalia  mines  is  not  exaggerated.  They  are 
situated  about  sixteen  miles  east  of  Chihuahua.  They  are 
reputed  to  be  among  the  most  extensive  deposit  mines 
discovered  up  to  that  time,  and  were  then  considered 
among  the  most  valuable  in  Mexico. 

The  Cosihuiriachic  mines  are  ninety  miles  southwest  of 
Chihuahua.  Their  former  wealth  is  known  to  have  been 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

great  and  they  are  still  very  rich.  Veins  of  solid  metal 
600  feet  in  depth  and  fifteen  feet  wide  have  been  tested 
that  average  $100  per  ton.  I  entered  the  mines  in  1871 
with  Mr.  Emil  Schedlich;  their  dimensions  only  sloped 
600  feet  to  the  vein,  but  it  seemed  to  be  about  six  miles, 
and  I  was  glad  to  get  out  of  them.  They  were  sold  in 
1876  to  a  San  Francisco  mining  company  for  $500,000. 

The  Corralitos  mines,  that  were  sold  to  an  American 
mining  company  for  $400,000,  are  located  about  180 
miles  north  of  Chihuahua. 

The  Botopilas  mines,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
State  of  Chihuahua,  were  bought  by  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co. 
for  a  large  sum  of  money.  They  have  produced  enor- 
mously, and  their  wealth  is  said  to  be  inexhaustible. 

The  rich  mine  of  La  Gabilana,  situated  about  78  miles 
south  of  Chihuahua,  had  not  been  worked  for  many  years 
before  it  was  sold  to  the  Chihuahua  Silver  Mining  Com- 
pany of  Logansport,  Indiana. 

The  Knox  Dry  Mountain  Mining  Company,  in  which 
I  have  owned  twenty-five  shares  since  1877,  is  situated 
four  miles  from  Parral,  and  the  consolidated  mines  of 
Parral,  owned  by  the  Knox  company  of  Chicago,  are 
under  the  city  of  Parral.  When  I  visited  them  last,  the 
greater  part  of  the  city  had  been  undermined,  but  pre- 
cautions were  used  to  prevent  the  mine  from  caving  by 
introducing  heavy  timbers  and  substantial  masonry. 
When  San  Antonio  first  became  the  terminus  of  the  Gal- 
veston,  Harrisburg  &  San  Antonio  Railroad,  in  1877-1878, 
the  firm  of  Froboese  &  Santleben  freighted  over  500,000 
pounds  of  machinery  to  the  Knox  Mining  Company,  of 
Parral,  to  the  Santa  Eulalia  mines,  and  to  the  mines  of 
Cosihuiriachic.  Since  that  date  modern  methods  of  min- 
ing have  been  introduced  in  connection  with  improved  ma- 
chinery and  the  business  in  that  region  has  been  greatly 
improved. 

On  my  return  trip  the  place  was  shown  me  in  Texas 
where  the  San  Miguel  brothers  met  with  a  serious  misfor- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  125 

tune  a  short  time  before,  similar  to  one  I  afterwards  ex- 
perienced. I  knew  them  when  they  came  to  San  Antonio 
from  Mexico,  in  1868,  with  ten  carts,  each  drawn  by  five 
mules,  and  subsequently  they  were  employed  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  haul  freight  to  the  frontier  posts.  Two  years 
later,  when  on  their  way  to  Fort  Davis  with  supplies,  the 
Indians  attacked  their  camp,  eighteen  miles  east  of  John- 
son's Run,  and  captured  the  entire  herd  of  mules  belong- 
ing to  the  train  that  was  grazing  in  the  vicinity.  The 
cart-men  retreated  to  an  elevation  and  with  loose  rock 
built  a  circular  breast-work  behind  which  they  defended 
themselves  until  the  enemy  retired  with  the  herd.  Two 
Mexicans  were  killed  in  the  engagement  and  they  were 
buried  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  rude  fortifica- 
tion was  situated,  where,  perhaps,  it  remains  as  it  was 
when  last  seen  by  me. 

I  always  felt  a  peculiar  interest  in  such  places  and 
many  locations  along  my  route  where  Indian  fights  oc- 
curred are  familiar  to  me.  One  of  them  was  near  Fort 
Lancaster,  that  took  place  after  the  post  was  abandoned, 
where  a  party  of  Indians  attacked  the  United  States  mail 
coach  that  was  guarded  by  Mr.  Cook  and  ten  men  besides 
the  driver.  The  white  men  were  greatly  outnumbered 
and  they  had  a  thrilling  experience  as  it  was  told  to  me. 

The  Indians  drove  the  men  from  the  coach  and  sur- 
rounded them,  but  the  little  squad  kept  the  enemy  at 
bay  as  they  retreated  and  fought  their  way  on  foot  to 
Fort  Stockton.  The  savages  captured  the  mules  and 
after  appropriating  the  contents  of  the  coach  it  was 
burnt. 

When  the  fight  took  place  I  was  carrying  the  mail  be- 
tween San  Antonio  and  Eagle  Pass,  and  the  route  between 
Fort  Clark  and  Fort  Stockton  was  controlled  by  Sawyer, 
Richie  and  Hall.  A  weekly  mail,  guarded  by  an  escort 
of  ten  men  under  a  boss,  was  carried  each  way  by  stage 
between  those  points.  Mr.  Cook  was  in  charge  of  one 
coach  and  Mr.  Holiday  of  the  other;  but  there  were  other 


126  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

connecting  lines,  and  mail  facilities  were  established  be- 
tween all  the  frontier  posts  through  to  El  Paso.  George, 
a  son  of  Mr.  Holiday,  pointed  out  the  place  where  the 
stage  was  burnt,  and  recalled  some  of  the  particulars  of 
the  fight.  Mr.  George  Holiday  was  once  in  charge  of  my 
train,  and  since  I  have  mentioned  him  I  may  as  well  relate 
here  an  incident  that  occurred  on  Sabinal  Creek  when  he 
was  serving  in  that  capacity.  A  young  man  from  East 
Texas,  who  was  looking  for  trouble,  rode  into  his  camp 
with  a  pistol  in  his  hand,  swearing  that  he  intended  to 
kill  a  Mexican  and  dared  them  to  show  themselves.  Holi- 
day did  not  want  to  see  his  men  killed,  and  they  obeyed 
him  when  he  advised  them  to  open  fire  on  the  foolish  fel- 
low. One  bullet  struck  him  in  the  neck,  and  another  that 
passed  through  his  clothes,  left  a  mark  on  his  skin. 
These  wounds  demoralized  him,  and  he  retreated  rapidly 
to  the  store,  a  short  distance  away,  crying  out  that  he  was 
shot  and  was  afraid  that  he  would  die.  Unless  I  am  mis- 
taken Louis  and  Charles  Peters,  who  live  in  Uvalde 
County,  kept  the  store  and  perhaps  they  may  be  able  to 
recall  the  incident. 

I  have  noticed  elsewhere  that  Captain  Muenzenberger 
moved  to  Santa  Rosa  and  became  engaged  in  the  mining 
and  milling  business.  In  1870  he  contracted  with  me  to 
haul  a  lot  of  machinery  for  his  mill,  which  I  loaded  on 
my  train  in  San  Antonio.  I  met  with  no  interruptions 
until  I  arrived  at  the  regular  Santa  Rosa  crossing,  on 
the  Sabinas  River,  where  I  was  delayed  fifteen  days  on 
account  of  high  water  that  made  the  stream  impassable. 
I  then  became  impatient  and  decided  that  I  would  go  to 
the  head-waters  of  the  river,  where  I  was  assured  by  sev- 
eral reliable  Mexicans  that  I  would  find  a  ford  which  was 
always  passable. 

After  ordering  my  wagons  to  remain  at  that  place  I 
started  out  alone  and  following  the  directions  I  found 
a  dim  road  which  I  traveled  several  miles  until  I  arrived 
at  the  place  that  was  described  to  me.  To  assure  myself 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  127 

that  it  was  fordable  I  rode  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
stream  and  the  crossing  proved  to  be  satisfactory;  but  I 
was  somewhat  disconcerted  when  I  found  myself  close  to 
a  camp  of  about  twenty  Kickapoo  Indians,  because  I  knew 
they  were  bitter  enemies  of  the  white  race.  Seeing  that  I 
was  entirely  alone  they  gathered  around  me,  with  arms 
in  their  hands  in  a  threatening  manner,  and  showed  their 
unfriendly  disposition  by  their  insolent  behavior.  They 
abused  Americans  outrageously,  in  Spanish,  and  some- 
times in  English,  but  they  did  not  seem  to  care  what  I 
had  to  say  because  when  I  talked  back  small  squads  walked 
off  a  few  yards  and  jabbered  in  their  own  language. 
Their  actions  showed  that  they  were  discussing  violent 
measures  with  reference  to  my  person,  and  my  uneasiness 
increased  every  moment,  but  I  assumed  an  indifferent  atti- 
tude that  concealed  my  anxiety. 

About  that  time  a  one-legged  Indian  made  his  appear- 
ance and  I  conversed  with  him  in  mixed  English  and  Span- 
ish until  he  called  me  a  liar  in  plain  English,  which  I 
resented  by  remaining  silent.  He  told  me  about  a  fight, 
on  Hondo  Creek,  in  which  he  was  engaged,  where  his  com- 
panion was  killed  and  he  was  wounded  in  the  leg  "  by  a 
bald-faced-white-man  who  rode  a  bay  horse."  After  mak- 
ing his  escape  he  returned  to  Santa  Rosa,  but  when  he 
arrived  his  leg  was  in  such  a  condition  that  amputation 
was  necessary.  This  was  interesting  to  me  because  I 
knew  all  about  the  fight,  and  in  his  description  of  the  man 
who  wounded  him  I  recognized  Xavier  Wanz,  who  is'  now 
a  prosperous  ranchman  on  the  Hondo,  a  life-time  friend 
who  was  a  comrade  of  mine  in  the  Civil  War. 

The  situation  became  more  strained  every  moment  and  it 
was  evident  that  a  serious  catastrophe  would  happen  to 
me  unless  I  could  say  or  do  something  to  prevent  it.  I 
had  left  my  wagons  at  the  crossing  twenty-five  miles  be- 
low and  no  assistance  could  be  expected  from  them,  con- 
sequently I  was  entirely  at  their  mercy.  Finally  I 
decided  to  play  a  game  of  bluff  and  told  them  that  I  must 


128  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

go,  as  I  had  thirty  men  coming  on  behind,  and  that  we 
were  on  our  way  to  Santa  Rosa  Mountains.  This  in- 
formation had  a  perceptible  effect,  because  they  thought 
I  was  alone,  and  when  I  turned  my  head  in  that  direction 
in  a  listening  attitude  and  said,  "  I  hear  them  coming," 
they  did  not  attempt  to  detain  me. 

I  was  only  with  them  about  twenty  minutes,  but  the 
time  seemed  to  be  about  two  hours,  and  when  I  rode  away 
I  not  only  felt  much  relieved,  but  my  satisfaction  in- 
creased in  proportion  to  the  distance  I  put  between  them 
and  myself.  I  hurriedly  proceeded  to  the  town  of  Santa 
Rosa,  about  fifteen  miles  distant,  but  was  fearful  all  the 
way,  because  it  was  not  unusual  to  meet  bands  of  Kicka- 
poo  Indians  at  any  time  near  the  foot  of  the  mountains. 
The  Mexican  Government  had  granted  them  a  reserva- 
tion in  that  region  and  gave  them  protection,  conse- 
quently they  were  friendly  to  the  citizens  of  that  country. 
But  they  were  bitter  enemies  of  the  Americans,  and  when 
in  Texas,  where  they  made  frequent  raids,  they  recognized 
no  racial  distinctions,  as  many  of  their  victims  were 
Mexicans. 

The  Kickapoo  Indian  reservation  was  formerly  on  the 
Kaw  River,  in  Kansas,  and  they  were  inoffensive  and 
tractable  until  an  effort  was  made  to  compel  them  to  take 
sides  in  the  Civil  War.  This  they  refused  to  do,  and,  in 
1864,  about  four  hundred  warriors  determined  to  remove 
to  Mexico.  They  carried  with  them  their  few  belongings 
and  their  women  and  children  accompanied  them.  They 
proceeded  without  opposition  until  after  crossing  Red 
River  into  Texas,  where  they  were  attacked  by  Confed- 
erate troops  that  were  guarding  the  frontier,  under  the 
belief  that  they  intended  to  raid  the  settlements.  In  the 
battle  that  took  place  many  were  killed  and  wounded  on 
both  sides  before  the  Indians  were  defeated  and  fled.  But 
this  interruption  did  not  prevent  them  from  passing 
through  Texas,  and  they  finally  settled  on  the  lands 
granted  to  them  by  the  Mexican  Government  near  the 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  129 

Santa  Rosa  Mountains.  From  these  strongholds  they 
made  predatory  incursions  into  Texas,  and  harassed  the 
settlements  west  and  southwest  of  San  Antonio  until  they 
were  suppressed. 

These  facts  were  ascertained  from  the  Indians  and 
others  during  my  stay  in  Santa  Rosa  with  Captain  Muen- 
zenberger,  who  entertained  me  at  his  residence  in  town. 
My  visit  was  brief  and  I  returned  to  my  wagons  under 
the  guidance  of  a  Mexican  in  the  captain's  employ,  who 
was  known  to  the  Indians.  We  crossed  the  river  at  a 
ford  twelve  miles  above  my  camp,  and  my  train  was  con- 
veyed safely  to  Santa  Rosa  over  the  road  I  had  explored. 
The  machinery  was  delivered  in  good  condition  and  two 
days  after  we  commenced  our  return  trip  to  San  Antonio 
over  the  usual  route.  We  found  that  the  flood  in  the  Rio 
Sabinas  had  subsided,  but  it  was  necessary  to  pull  my 
wagons  across  to  the  opposite  side  with  a  cable  drawn 
by  mules.  One  of  them  was  torn  loose  and  swept  down 
stream  a  considerable  distance  by  the  swift  current  that 
was  a  natural  torrent,  but  it  was  recovered  after  spending 
much  time  in  exhaustive  labor.  All  these  delays  were 
expensive,  consequently  my  profits  from  this  trip  did  not 
amount  to  much  because  my  wagons  returned  empty,  and 
under  such  circumstances  the  hauling  of  special  freight 
was  not  always  remunerative,  but  the  next  the  compensa- 
tion I  received  was  unusually  large;  it  was  paid  on  a 
contract  made  with  the  city  of  San  Antonio  in  1871,  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Mayor  James  French,  in  which 
I  agreed  to  haul  from  Indianola  the  first  iron  bridge  that 
was  bought  by  the  city. 

Some  of  the  material  was  forty  feet  long  and  so  heavy 
that  it  could  only  be  transported  on  the  largest  wagons. 
Fourteen  wagons  were  required  to  haul  it,  and  I  received 
a  total  of  thirty-two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for 
freighting  it. 

The  bridge  was  placed  across  the  river  on  Houston 
Street,  and  Gustave  Schleicher,  who  was  afterwards  a 


130  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

member  of  the  United  States  Congress  from  this  district, 
superintended  its  construction.  After  serving  the  public 
at  that  point  for  twenty  years,  the  bridge  was  replaced 
by  the  present  structure  on  account  of  the  necessities  of 
the  street-car  line  and  the  demands  of  an  increased  traffic. 
The  original  bridge  was  removed  to  the  ancient  ford 
across  the  river,  known  as  the  "  Passo  de  los  Tejas,"  on 
Grand  Avenue,  near  the  Lone  Star  Brewery,  where  it  is 
now  in  use  and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  cease 
to  be  of  service  in  the  next  100  years. 

An  iron  bridge  was  then  a  novelty  in  Texas  that  at- 
tracted considerable  attention,  but  now,  since  they  have 
become  so  numerous,  especially  in  San  Antonio,  they  are 
seldom  noticed.  The  public  is  convinced  that  they  are  an 
economical  investment,  and  in  the  course  of  time  all 
wooden  structures  in  Texas  will  be  replaced  by  them. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

A  FEW  days  before  I  left  San  Antonio,  and  started 
westward  on  my  third  trip  to  Chihuahua,  in  the  spring  of 
1871,  a  Mexican  woman  was  cruelly  assassinated  in  the 
city,  and  one  of  her  countrymen  was  suspected  of  having 
committed  the  crime  after  he  disappeared.  All  the  cir- 
cumstances pointed  to  his  guilt  and  considerable  interest 
was  felt  in  the  case,  but  the  officers  of  the  law  failed  to 
trace  him,  although  they  made  strenuous  efforts  to  bring 
about  his  arrest. 

In  the  meantime  the  murderer  was  cautiously  making 
his  way  towards  the  Mexican  border  until  Providence  ar- 
ranged that  I  should  effect  his  capture,  and  I  became  an 
involuntary  instrument  of  the  law  without  having  given 
previous  thought  to  the  subject. 

The  house  in  which  the  murder  took  place  was  imme- 
diately in  the  rear  of  the  Kunkel  building,  that  fronted  the 
old  Cassiano  homestead  on  Houston  Street,  in  the  block 
that  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  North  Flores  Street, 
which  was  then  occupied  as  a  mercantile  establishment  by 
my  brother-in-law,  Henry  Wagner,  the  father  of  Henry 
Wagner,  Jr.,  who  now  resides  in  San  Antonio. 

The  murdered  woman  was  a  poor  widow  whose  respect- 
ability was  not  questioned,  and  she  had  labored  hard  to 
provide  for  two  small  children  who  were  dependent  on  her 
daily  efforts  for  a  support.  The  man  who  took  her  life 
was  a  stranger  in  the  city  who  had  recently  come  from 
East  Texas,  and  it  was  supposed  that  she  became 
acquainted  with  him  only  a  short  time  previous  to  her 
death.  He  was  often  seen  in  her  company  by  persons 
who  noted  his  appearance,  and  after  the  cowardly  deed 

131 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

was  perpetrated  they  were  able  to  give  an  accurate  de- 
scription of  him. 

The  evidence  showed  that  the  assassin  stealthily  entered 
the  woman's  home  at  night,  after  she  had  retired,  and 
brutally  stabbed  her  through  the  heart  while  sleeping. 
She  died  instantly,  and  it  was  done  so  quietly  that  the 
children  were  not  awakened.  The  provocation  that  led 
to  the  killing  was  never  revealed,  but  evidently  it  was  a 
cold-blooded  deed  that  nothing  could  justify,  and  one 
from  which  the  murderer  hastily  fled  to  avoid  detection. 

When  the  crime  was  discovered  the  following  morning 
the  stranger  was  instantly  suspected,  and  after  all  the 
circumstances  became  known  public  opinion  centered  on 
him  as  the  criminal.  This  information  and  a  full  de- 
scription of  his  dress  and  personal  appearance,  his  dun 
horse  and  equipments  was  given  to  the  sheriff,  Thomas  B. 
McCall,  before  he  and  his  deputy  started  in  pursuit  to- 
wards the  Rio  Grande. 

My  train  left  San  Antonio  before  the  tragedy  occurred, 
but  I  was  detained  by  business  and  they  had  been  gone 
seven  days  when  I  took  my  seat  in  the  stage  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  overtaking  the  wagons  at  Fort  Clark.  When 
I  arrived  there  I  learned  that  the  train  had  passed  on- 
wards the  day  before,  but  I  had  instructed  my  wagon- 
master  to  leave  my  saddle-horse  at  James  Connell's,  who 
was  a  merchant  in  the  town,  and  I  found  ,him  there. 
About  three  o'clock  that  afternoon  I  continued  my  jour- 
ney, and  after  riding  six  miles  I  saw  a  man  in  front  of 
me  near  Pedro  Pinto  Creek,  whose  appearance  and  the  dun 
horse  he  was  riding  suggested  that  he  was  the  murderer 
of  the  Mexican  woman.  When  I  approached  nearer  he 
suddenly  heard  the  hoof-beats  of  my  horse,  because  he 
turned  partly  round  in  his  saddle  to  look  at  me,  and  I 
was  then  sure  that  my  impressions  were  correct. 

I  had  been  authorized  by  Sheriff  McCall  to  arrest  the 
man  in  case  I  should  meet  him,  and  I  decided  that  it  was 
my  duty  to  capture  him.  With  that  object  in  view  I 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  133 

rode  quietly  along  until  I  was  near  enough  to  get  the 
advantage,  and  then  with  my  pistol  in  hand  I  urged  my 
horse  quickly  to  his  left  side.  Under  the  cover  of  my 
weapon  I  ordered  him  to  surrender  and  charged  him  with 
the  cowardly  murder.  At  first  he  refused,  denied  his  guilt, 
and  as  he  knew  who  I  was^  he  questioned  my  right  to  make 
the  arrest.  Evidently  he  was  disposed  to  offer  resistance, 
but  as  he  had  no  pistol  and  was  only  armed  with  a  Spencer 
rifle,  which  was  hanging  to  his  saddle  in  its  scabbard  on 
the  side  next  to  me,  the  chances  were  all  in  my  favor  and 
it  would  have  been  unsafe  for  him  to  make  a  demonstra- 
tion in  that  direction. 

Finally  he  realized  that  he  was  in  my  power,  and  when 
I  ordered  him  to  turn  his  horse  and  return  in  the  direction 
of  Fort  Clark,  he  sullenly  obeyed,  but  I  allowed  him  to 
retain  possession  of  his  gun,  after  he  refused  to  give  it 
up,  because  I  did  not  care  to  approach  near  enough  to 
take  it  from  him  by  force.  He  manifested  his  reluctance 
to  proceed  by  checking  his  horse  to  a  very  slow  gait  in 
defiance  of  my  efforts  to  urge  him  forward.  This  was 
very  irritating,  partly  because  my  horse  was  restless  and 
not  easily  controlled,  but  I  retained  my  advantage  by 
keeping  as  near  my  prisoner  as  possible  and  kept  a  close 
watch  on  every  movement  he  made.  I  wished  to  avoid 
violent  measures,  but  let  him  understand  that  I  would 
resort  to  them  if  he  offered  the  slightest  resistance  or  at- 
tempted to  escape. 

The  situation  was  very  unpleasant  and  we  traveled 
about  two  miles  in  a  slow  walk  before  it  was  remedied 
by  the  appearance  of  several  wagons  belonging  to  the 
Dignowitys,  that  were  returning  empty  from  Fort  Clark, 
where  they  had  delivered  a  lot  of  hay  for  the  government. 
They  were  driven  by  Mexicans,  and  I  appealed  to  them 
for  assistance  to  help  disarm  and  secure  my  prisoner. 
After  I  related  the  particulars  of  the  murder  and  ex- 
plained the  circumstances  connected  with  the  arrest  they 
readily  complied  with  my  request.  In  a  few  minutes  he 


134  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

was  forcibly  deprived  of  the  carbine,  after  refusing  to  give 
it  up,  and  his  legs  were  tied  together  beneath  the  horse's 
body.  After  he  was  firmly  bound  I  compensated  them  for 
their  trouble  by  allowing  them  to  retain  the  gun,  which 
was  useless  to  me  and  it  would  have  been  troublesome  to 
carry. 

After  parting  from  them  I  had  no  more  trouble  when 
leading  the  horse  with  the  murderer  on  his  back  and  we 
traveled  much  faster  than  before.  When  I  arrived  at 
Fort  Clark  I  delivered  my  prisoner  to  the  deputy  sheriff, 
John  Fries,  who  kept  him  closely  confined  until  the  au- 
thorities sent  an  officer  to  convey  him  to  San  Antonio. 
He  was  tried  for  murder  and  convicted  on  circumstantial 
evidence,  and  sentenced  to  twenty-five  years'  confinement 
in  the  penitentiary.  I  have  forgotten  the  man's  name, 
but  it  can  be  ascertained  by  referring  to  the  records,  and 
a  number  of  persons  are  now  living  who  are  conversant 
with  the  facts,  one  of  whom  is  James  B.  McClosky,  of 
San  Antonio. 

The  part  I  took  in  the  affair  was  authorized  by  Sheriff 
Thomas  B.  McCall,  but  I  was  never  compensated  by  the 
State  for  making  the  arrest,  because  I  did  not  file  a  claim 
for  my  services.  But  for  me  the  assassin  would  have 
escaped  to  Mexico  and  avoided  the  penalty  awarded  for 
his  crime,  and  my  conscience  was  amply  rewarded  for  hav- 
ing confronted  the  risks.  In  reality  I  was  not  exposed 
to  any  great  danger  because  he  had  no  chance  to  offer 
a  successful  resistance,  and  it  was  only  necessary  to  guard 
him  carefully  until  he  was  secured.  Perhaps,  if  I  had  not 
met  the  Mexican  teamsters,  who  made  him  helpless,  he 
might  have  tried  to  escape  before  we  reached  Fort  Clark 
and  I  was  thankful  that  he  did  not  make  the  attempt. 

After  getting  rid  of  my  prisoner  I  resumed  my  journey 
through  an  uninhabited  region  until  I  overtook  my  train. 
The  excitement  I  had  passed  through  would  have  sufficed 
for  that  trip,  but  I  was  destined  to  meet  with  another  ad- 
venture a  few  days  later,  and  it  was  the  most  unpleasant 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  135 

that  I  ever  experienced.  We  were  in  the  vicinity  of  John- 
son's Run,  which  is  about  eighteen  miles  northwest  of 
Beaver  Lake  and  about  fifteen  miles  from  a  watering- 
place,  in  rainy  seasons,  called  El  Padron,  where,  we  were 
told  by  travelers,  rain  had  recently  fallen,  and  we  ex- 
pected to  stop  there  for  dinner  and  water  the  teams. 

The  train  was  under  way  and  I  was  asleep  in  my  am- 
bulance when  one  of  the  herders  rode  up  and  roused  me  by 
saying  that  several  deer  were  near  the  road  close  by.  He 
was  leading  my  favorite  riding  mule,  tljat  was  always  kept 
saddled  for  immediate  use,  and  in  a  few  moments  I  was 
mounted,  with  my  Winchester  rifle  in  my  hand.  The 
herder  guided  me  to  the  place,  but  a  heavy  fog  made 
everything  very  indistinct  and  I  was  almost  among  the 
deer  when  they  were  discovered.  I  fired  instantly,  but  the 
dense  fog  obscured  my  aim  with  the  result  that  I  only 
wounded  one  of  them,  though  after  shooting  four  or  five 
times  I  killed  one  as  they  ran  away.  After  disembowel- 
ing the  carcass  and  tying  it  behind  my  saddle  I  noticed 
that  the  wagons  had  passed  out  of  hearing,  but  I  felt  no 
uneasiness  on  that  account,  because  I  was  confident  that 
I  would  soon  overtake  them. 

When  I  mounted  my  mule  I  noticed  that  she  wanted  to 
go  in  an  opposite  direction  to  that  I  had  decided  on  as  the 
proper  course  and  the  one  I  persisted  in  following.  The 
air  was  heavy  with  dampness  and  it  was  about  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  fog  was  impenetrable  be- 
yond a  short  distance,  but  I  rode  along  carelessly  until 
the  vapors  commenced  to  rise,  and  then  I  began  to  think 
it  was  strange  that  I  had  seen  no  trace  of  the  road  nor 
arrived  in  hearing  of  the  jolting  wagons  or  the  tingling 
bell  that  led  the  herd.  I  began  to  feel  uneasy,  and  was 
soon  convinced  that  I  was  completely  lost. 

To  lose  one's  reckoning  under  any  circumstances  is 
unpleasant,  and  only  those  who  have  passed  through  sim- 
ilar experiences  will  appreciate  the  sensations  I  felt  when 
lost  in  that  wilderness  which  was  known  to  be  infested  by 


136  A  TEXAS   PIONEER 

wild  Indians.  Fortunately  I  realized  the  dangers  of  m}* 
situation  and  the  necessity  of  preparing  for  emergencies, 
though  I  had  no  definite  idea  how  I  was  to  get  out  of  my 
scrape.  My  first  act  was  to  lighten  my  load  by  untying 
the  deer  and  casting  it  to  the  ground.  I  then  examined 
my  rifle  and  when  I  found  only  five  loaded  cartridges  in 
the  magazine  I  was  very  much  disconcerted.  In  my  hurry 
I  had  overlooked  my  six-shooter  and  belt  full  of  ammuni- 
tion in  the  ambulance,  but  it  was  then  useless  to  worry 
because  of  my  carelessness,  and  I  determined  to  make  my 
limited  supply  go  as  far  as  possible. 

I  entertained  no  rational  ideas  relative  to  the  course  I 
ought  to  travel  and  was  disposed  to  trust  to  the  brute 
instincts  of  my  mule  on  several  occasions  by  allowing  her 
to  go  her  own  way.  She  would  change  her  course  the 
instant  that  I  ceased  to  restrain  her  movements  and  each 
time  she  traveled  several  miles  or  until  I  decided  that  she 
was  going  wrong  and  guided  her  in  another  direction.  I 
did  not  stop  a  moment  during  the  entire  day,  although  it 
was  excessively  warm  about  noon.  I  felt  neither  hunger 
nor  thirst  and  my  thoughts  seemed  to  be  concentrated  on 
the  possibility  of  meeting  Indians.  Sometimes  I  imagined 
that  they  were  concealed  in  groves  of  cedar  on  my  route 
and  frequently  made  detours  of  half  a  mile  to  avoid  the 
possibility  of  an  encounter. 

These  maneuvers  were  kept  up  until  nine  d'clock  at 
night  and  then  when  I  was  almost  distracted  I  got  in  the 
road  by  allowing  my  weary  mule  to  travel  as  she  pleased 
the  latter  part  of  the  journey.  She  proved  to  me  that 
she  was  right,  and  if  I  had  not  checked  her  previous  ef- 
forts to  get  back  to  it  early  in  the  day  I  would  have  had 
no  trouble.  Naturally  I  was  greatly  relieved  because  I 
was  satisfied  that  she  recognized  the  road,  though  it  was 
unfamiliar  to  me. 

The  train  did  not  stop  until  it  arrived  at  El  Fadron, 
and  it  remained  in  camp  awaiting  my  return.  When 
night  approached,  my  caporal,  Julio  Castro,  who  now 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  137 

lives  on  Frio  Street  in  San  Antonio,  concluded  that  I  had 
been  killed,  and  he  started  out  with  six  of  my  men  to  look 
for  me.  Long  before  we  met,  my  mule  heard  them  ap- 
proaching and  she  expressed  her  joy  by  braying,  but  I 
failed  to  interpret  her  meaning  because  the  sound  she 
heard  did  not  reach  my  ears.  I  was  content  to  know  that 
I  was  on  a  highway  that  led  somewhere,  but  otherwise 
my  mind  was  not  in  a  rational  condition. 

When  I  saw  the  men  approaching  I  wanted  to  run  away 
from  them,  and  would  have  done  so  if  my  mule  had  been 
able  to  make  the  effort,  but  the  feeling  only  lasted  a 
moment  and  I  was  greatly  relieved  when  one  of  them 
hailed  me  in  Spanish,  saying,  "  Who  comes  there?  "  I  re- 
plied quickly  to  the  challenge  and  we  hastened  to  meet 
each  other.  My  first  desire  was  to  quench  my  thirst,  and 
it  was  the  first  water  that  I  had  swallowed  since  the  day 
before,  but  I  did  not  suffer  on  that  account.  I  suppose  my 
bodily  cravings  were  suppressed  by  my  mental  anxiety, 
and  when  that  was  relieved  nature  asserted  itself.  This 
experience  taught  me  a  good  lesson  which  I  carefully  ob- 
served afterwards  by  keeping  in  hearing  of  my  train  when 
in  a  wild  and  dangerous  country. 

These  two  adventures  were  the  only  incidents  that  hap- 
pened on  the  round  trip,  and  I  was  satisfied  because  they 
terminated  so  successfully ;  but  they  were  offset  by  a  series 
of  misfortunes,  after  I  returned  to  San  Antonio,  that 
greatly  interfered  with  my  business,  and  otherwise  caused 
me  great  inconvenience,  on  account  of  the  accumulated 
losses  I  sustained  in  consequence  of  the  capture,  theft,  and 
death  of  a  large  number  of  mules  on  four  different 
occasions. 

Soon  after  I  returned,  my  wagons  were  loaded  with 
government  freight  and  suttlers'  supplies  for  Forts  Davis 
and  Quitman,  and  the  train  was  placed  in  charge  of  En- 
timio  Mageras,  an  experienced  wagon-master,  who  now 
resides  at  Santa  Cruz,  near  Chihuahua.  After  delivering 
the  freight  according  to  contract  he  returned  with  his 


138  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

empty  wagons,  and  on  the  17th  of  May,  1871,  after 
making  a  forty-five-mile  drive,  he  made  camp,  about  noon, 
at  Beaver  Lake,  near  the  eighteenth  crossing  on  Devil's 
River.  The  mules  were  all  tired  and  they  were  turned 
loose  to  graze  on  an  excellent  pasture,  in  charge  of  the 
caporal,  Julio  Castro,  and  his  herders  as  usual;  but  un- 
fortunately no  guards  were  stationed  in  the  vicinity  to 
look  out  for  Indians,  although  such  precautions  were  al- 
ways necessary. 

Evidently  the  men  were  careless,  and  the  proximity  of 
Indians  was  not  suspected  until  about  fifty  wild 
Comanches  charged  between  the  wagons  and  the  herd,  cut- 
ting off  the  caporal  and  his  four  men,  who  escaped  by 
flight.  Their  fearful  war-whoops  raised  a  commotion  in 
the  camp,  and  a  majority  of  the  Indians  engaged  the 
teamsters  in  battle  while  the  remainder,  after  roping  the 
bell-mare,  took  charge  of  the  herd.  They  knew  that  the 
mules  would  follow,  and  when  she  was  led  away  in  a  gallop 
over  the  rocky  hills  they  all  kept  close  behind,  but  in  their 
rear  other  thieves  urged  them  forward  until  they 
disappeared. 

The  men  in  camp,  though  much  startled,  opened  fire 
upon  the  Indians  from  behind  the  wagons ;  but  the  battle 
could  not  have  lasted  many  minutes,  because  when  the 
mules  were  secured  the  enemy  retreated.  Probably  it  was 
then  that  the  wagon-master  and  his  men  followed  them  on 
foot  with  the  hope  of  recovering  the  animals.  They 
claimed  to  have  made  such  an  attempt,  but  under  the  cir- 
cumstances it  was  a  useless  undertaking. 

The  caporal  and  his  herders  were  supposed  to  have 
been  killed  in  the  first  attack,  but  they  managed  to  conceal 
themselves  in  a  ravine,  and  anxiety  on  their  account  was 
removed  when  they  came  from  their  place  of  refuge. 
Fortunately  none  of  the  men  were  hurt  and  if  casualties 
occurred  among  the  Indians  the  fact  was  never  known. 
The  marks  of  Indian  bullets  could  be  seen  on  the  wagons, 
and  they  proved  that  the  men  were  sheltered  behind  them, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  139 

but  as  I  could  never  get  the  straight  of  the  story  I  will 
let  it  stand  as  it  is  related. 

John  Kenedy,  of  Sabinal,  arrived  at  the  camp  the 
day  after  the  fight,  when  on  his  way  to  Fort  Davis  with 
a  herd  of  beef  cattle  for  the  government  which  he  was 
delivering  under  a  contract.  He  was  the  first  person  that 
appeared,  but  he  was  unable  to  render  my  men  any  as- 
sistance, and  before  I  could  do  anything  myself,  they 
and  the  wagons  were  brought  to  San  Antonio  by  Jose 
Telamantes  and  Juan  Montes  with  their  trains,  and  they 
charged  me  six  hundred  dollars  for  the  favor. 

In  July  after  the  disaster,  I  went  to  Mexico  and  bought 
a  herd  of  perfectly  wild  animals,  except  a  few  that  had 
been  handled;  but  the  number  was  not  sufficient  and  I 
purchased  thirty  odd  more  from  Kaneghean  &  Bro.,  in 
San  Antonio.  One  of  the  last  lot,  bought  in  August, 
1871,  when  about  four  years  old,  died  in  Mr.  Smelcher's 
pasture  in  December,  1905,  consequently  she  was  about 
thirty-eight  years  old  at  the  date  of  her  death.  I  en- 
tered her  in  the  parade  at  the  Spring  Carnival  in  San 
Antonio  a  few  months  before  she  died,  and  she  was  led 
by  Geronimo  Morales,  the  man  who  broke  her  as  an  off- 
wheel  mule  when  on  a  trip  to  Chihuahua.  Her  mate  was 
killed  on  that  trip,  between  Julimes  and  Chupadero,  by  a 
wagon  heavily  loaded  with  copper  that  ran  over  her  when 
going  down  a  hill. 

My  next  calamity  was  experienced  on  the  first  trip 
that  I  made  with  the  mules  I  brought  from  Mexico.  They 
were  young  and  freshly  broken  to  harness  when  I 
freighted  a  lot  of  corn  from  Austin  to  Fort  Concho  for 
the  government.  The  hardships  to  which  they  were  ex- 
posed, without  sufficient  grass  or  other  food,  was  more 
than  they  could  stand,  and  forty  of  them  died  from 
actual  starvation  along  the  route  when  returning  home- 
ward. I  was  obliged  to  replace  them  with  others  and  the 
drain  on  my  resources  made  it  necessary  to  use  my  credit, 
but  I  was  not  discouraged. 


140  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

This  misfortune  was  followed  by  another,  near  Laredo, 
when  twenty  head  of  mules  were  stolen  from  my  train, 
which  was  in  charge  of  my  friend,  Fred  Miller,  and  again 
the  loss  was  supplied  by  others  I  purchased  in  Mexico. 
I  could  not  afford  to  give  up  my  business,  and  I  knew 
that  perseverance  would  make  me  successful  in  the  end. 

The  superstition  that  misfortunes  always  come  in 
bunches,  seemed  to  be  demonstrated  in  my  experiences  dur- 
ing that  period,  but  they  were  exhausted,  in  January, 
187£,  when  I  met  with  the  closing  disaster  of  the  series, 
on  the  road  to  San  Luis  Potosi.  I  was  encamped  in  a 
large  prairie,  about  fifteen  miles  south  of  Piedras  Negras, 
where  a  severe  blizzard  overtook  us  that  caused  intense 
suffering.  My  mules  became  uncontrollable,  on  account 
of  the  piercing  cold,  and  the  herd  scattered  in  search  of 
protection.  Thirty  of  them  could  not  be  found,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  secure  others  at  considerable  expense 
before  my  train  could  proceed  on  its  journey.  After- 
wards I  lost  many  animals  in  various  ways,  but  this 
closes  the  catalogue  of  those  that  were  of  a  serious 
character. 


CHAPTER    XV 

WHEN  returning  from  Fort  Davis,  in  1872,  after  deliv- 
ering a  lot  of  government  freight  at  said  fort,  I  stopped 
at  the  Pecos  Salt  Lake  and  loaded  my  prairie  schooners 
with  salt  free  of  cost  from  the  unlimited  quantity  that  is 
found  there,  and  which  was  in  demand  among  ranchmen 
on  account  of  its  special  qualities. 

The  lake  is  situated  in  a  desert  region  two  miles  east 
of  the  Pecos  River  and  fifteen  miles  above  Horse-head 
crossing.  The  surrounding  country  in  which  it  is  located 
was  naturally  a  level  plain  before  the  wind  raised  upon  it 
numerous  sand-hills,  some  of  them  fifty  feet  in  height, 
that  surround  the  lake  on  three  sides. 

The  water  of  the  lake,  which  covers  an  area  of  about 
fifty  acres  of  land,  was  only  about  eighteen  inches  in 
depth,  and  its  surface  was  a  glittering  sheet  of  white  salt 
about  four  inches  thick.  Evidently  the  sun's  rays  had 
evaporated  it  to  that  depth,  and  the  substance  was  sus- 
tained by  the  fluid  beneath  that  was  densely  impregnated 
with  nitrate  of  soda. 

My  corral  was  near  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  where 
no  sand-hills  obstructed  the  view  in  a  southerly  direction, 
and  an  open  plain  extended  far  in  the  distance.  After 
adopting  every  precaution  for  the  security  of  my  camp, 
the  mules  were  side-lined  before  they  were  turned  loose 
to  graze  on  the  rich  pasture  of  Gama  grass  that  was 
known  in  the  West  as  Gramer  grass,  and  immediate  prep- 
arations were  made  for  getting  out  the  salt  because  I 
wanted  as  little  delay  as  possible.  All  my  men,  not  other- 
wise employed,  were  actively  engaged  in  the  work  of 
scooping  it  up  near  the  shore  and  filling  the  wagons.  As 

141 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

I  had  no  sacks  it  was  bulked  in  the  bodies  to  the  depth  of 
three  feet,  and  three  days'  labor  was  necessary  to  fill 
them.  That  taken  from  the  surface  crumbled  into  par- 
ticles when  removed,  but  that  underneath  was  like  wet 
snow. 

The  caporal  discovered  about  thirty  Indians  the  sec- 
ond day  after  our  arrival,  and  the  next  day  they  were 
seen  hovering  among  the  sand-hills  in  the  distance.  Evi- 
dently they  were  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  dash  in 
and  drive  off  my  herd  of  mules,  but  my  precautions  were 
carefully  arranged  and  never  relaxed,  and  when  they  saw 
that  it  would  be  an  unsafe  and  difficult  undertaking  they 
did  not  venture  an  attack. 

The  mules  were  only  watered  once  a  day,  at  the  Pecos 
River,  early  in  the  evening,  and  on  such  occasions  I  pro- 
vided for  contingencies  by  taking  all  my  men  along  with 
a  sufficient  supply  of  ammunition  packed  on  the  saddle 
mules.  The  wagons  and  harness,  also  corn  and  other 
supplies,  were  left  unprotected,  but  the  Indians  suspect- 
ing a  trap,  kept  aloof  and  nothing  was  ever  molested. 
The  mules  were  always  side-lined  when  we  returned  and 
then  herded  on  the  abundant  pasture  near  camp,  under 
the  protection  of  a  strong  guard,  until  driven  into  the 
corral  at  sunset. 

We  finished  loading  the  third  day,  and  the  following 
morning,  after  covering  my  salt  with  heavy  tarpaulins 
to  protect  it  from  the  weather,  I  got  my  train  under  way, 
but  I  soon  discovered  that  my  prairie  schooners  were 
loaded  beyond  the  capacity  of  my  teams  to  haul  them.  I 
made  slow  progress  until  I  reached  a  point  about  five 
miles  below  the  lake,  where  I  took  about  two  thousand 
pounds  of  salt  from  each  wagon.  Afterwards  I  saw  that 
the  remainder  was  as  much  as  my  teams  could  haul,  but 
they  had  been  greatly  relieved,  and  the  same  evening  we 
crossed  and  camped  on  the  west  side  of  the  Pecos. 

The  next  day  we  proceeded  down  the  river  towards  Fort 
Lancaster,  and  when  in  camp  at  noon  the  caporal  re- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  143 

ported  that  he  saw  Indians  on  the  west  side  of  the  Pecos. 
No  doubt  they  were  the  same  party  that  had  skulked  in 
the  sand-hills  near  our  camp  at  the  lake  until  we  left,  and 
then  dogged  our  trail  with  the  expectation  of  stealing  my 
mules  the  first  opportunity  that  offered.  But  my  mis- 
fortunes had  taught  me  to  observe  the  utmost  caution, 
and  I  left  nothing  to  chance,  consequently  we  were  not 
disturbed. 

My  train  nooned  at  Howard's  Well  the  following  day 
and  as  it  was  about  to  move  forward  Anastacio  Gonzales 
drove  into  camp  with  his  six  wagons.  He  was  a  citizen 
of  San  Antonio  and  as  I  knew  him  well  it  was  natural 
that  I  should  stop  and  talk  to  him  with  the  intention  of 
putting  him  on  his  guard  against  the  dangers  that  lurked 
in  that  vicinity.  I  told  him  about  the  Indians  who  had 
constantly  watched  my  camp  during  my  stay  at  the  Salt 
Lake,  and  that  they  had  followed  my  train  until  the  day 
before.  I  urged  him  to  be  careful  and  to  use  every  pre- 
caution to  avoid  an  attack,  because  I  was  satisfied  that 
the  same  Indians  were  hovering  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
if  they  ceased  to  follow  my  wagons  possibly  they  would 
make  an  assault  on  his  camp  if  they  saw  that  they  could 
do  so  with  impunity. 

In  the  meantime  my  train  had  passed  on  and  when  I 
bade  him  farewell  it  was  two  miles  ahead  of  me.  I  was 
the  last  person  that  talked  to  him,  exclusive  of  his  im- 
mediate associates,  because  the  sequel  will  show  that  my 
warning  was  unheeded  and  at  that  place  his  negligence 
brought  him  and  his  men  to  a  tragic  end. 

I  did  not  hear  of  the  disaster  that  overwhelmed  Gon- 
zales until  I  arrived  at  Fort  Clark.  There  I  learned  that 
Lieutenant  Vinson  with  a  detachment  of  troops  was  scout- 
ing in  that  country  and  stopped  at  Howard's  Well  soon 
after  Gonzales  and  all  his  men  were  killed.  The  wagons 
were  still  burning  and  the  charred  body  of  Gonzales  was 
found  secured  to  one  of  them,  where  evidently  he  was 
bound  when  still  alive.  Vinson  immediately  followed  the 


144  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

trail  of  the  Indians  until  he  overtook  them,  and  a  fight 
occurred  in  which  he  and  several  of  the  soldiers  were 
killed. 

Gonzales  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  his  home  was  a 
small  but  comfortable  cottage  on  the  corner  of  Salinas 
and  Laredo  Streets,  where  his  widow  now  lives.  On  an 
adjoining  lot,  fronting  on  Laredo  Street,  he  completed 
the  stone-work  of  a  substantial  four-room  rock  house  be- 
fore setting  out  on  his  last  trip,  which  he  intended  to 
finish  when  he  returned.  To-day  the  bare  walls  remain  in 
the  same  condition  as  when  he  left  them,  because  the 
grief-stricken  widow  will  not  permit  any  one  to  touch  the 
last  work  of  her  husband's  hands.  Possibly,  if  Gonzales 
had  adopted  my  suggestions,  the  Indians  would  not  have 
attacked  him,  and  it  was  his  carelessness,  perhaps,  that 
gave  them  an  opportunity  to  surprise  his  camp. 

I  met  with  no  further  trouble  from  Indians  on  that 
trip,  and  my  salt  speculation,  which  cost  me  little  or 
nothing,  turned  out  profitably.  I  estimated  my  cargo 
at  about  fifty  thousand  pounds,  and  I  sold  it  at  whole- 
sale for  five  cents  per  pound,  part  of  it  at  Knox's  ranch 
and  the  balance  to  Griner,  Wish  and  Rheiner.  All  these 
persons  were  sheepmen  who  valued  it  more  than  other 
salt  on  account  of  the  large  proportion  of  salt-peter  it 
contained.  But  unfortunately  the  demand  was  limited 
and  it  would  have  been  easy  to  glut  the  market ;  other- 
wise a  lucrative  business  might  have  been  conducted  by 
hauling  it  from  the  lake,  because  the  sun  would  have  con- 
stantly replenished  the  salt  and  furnished  an  inexhaustible 
supply  for  an  indefinite  period ;  I  believe  my  train  was  the 
first  that  ever  hauled  salt  from  the  lake  and  I  assumed 
great  risks  when  doing  it. 

I  had  then  a  fine  lot  of  mules  and  prairie  schooners 
with  which  to  carry  on  my  business,  therefore  it  was  to 
my  interest  to  extend  it  as  much  as  possible.  My  experi- 
mental trips  to  and  from  Chihuahua  had  netted  me  hand- 
some returns  and  I  determined  to  confine  my  freighting 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  145 

in  the  future  to  that  point.  My  arrangements  were  soon 
completed,  and  I  received  sufficient  assurance  that  full 
cargoes  of  freight  in  both  directions  would  be  consigned 
to  my  care  at  remunerative  prices  for  hauling.  These 
journeys  were  repeated  many  times,  but  as  the  records 
have  been  lost  it  would  be  useless  to  tax  my  memory  by 
attempting  to  give  an  account  of  each  journey,  there- 
fore the  incidents  I  will  relate  are  widely  distributed. 

I  have  an  indistinct  recollection  of  the  trips  I  made  in 
1872,  and  I  can  only  recall  that  on  one  of  them,  when 
returning  from  Chihuahua,  I  crossed  the  Pecos  River,  at 
the  Horse-head  ford,  on  a  pontoon  bridge  belonging  to 
the  United  States  army.  The  military  authorities  had 
constructed  it  for  temporary  use  to  facilitate  the  move- 
ment of  troops  and  government  wagon-trains.  The 
structure  was  not  capable  of  sustaining  heavily  loaded 
prairie  schooners  like  mine,  consequently  I  was  compelled 
to  divide  my  freight,  which  consisted  mostly  of  copper, 
and  had  to  carry  each  lot  over  separately.  The  labor- 
ious undertaking  consumed  almost  the  entire  day,  and 
while  employed  in  overseeing  the  work  I  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Mr.  Salliway,  a  prominent  and  worthy  law- 
yer now  in  San  Antonio,  who  was  then  attached  to  the 
engineer  corps  to  which  was  entrusted  the  building  of 
the  western  forts,  and  the  bridge  was  also  constructed  un- 
der their  supervision. 

I  also  remember  that  I  brought  from  Chihuahua  a 
Mexican  hoe,  called  azada  in  that  country,  that  I  pro- 
posed to  submit  to  manufacturers  with  a  view  to  having 
them  made  in  the  United  States.  It  was  a  clumsy,  rough 
and  heavy  implement,  with  a  blade  about  ten  inches  wide 
on  the  edge  and  twelve  inches  in  depth  to  the  handle- 
socket,  from  which  a  projection,  one  and  a  half  by  three 
inches  square,  extended  above,  that  served  as  a  clod- 
crusher.  It  was  considered  a  necessary  tool  on  irrigated 
farms,  and  in  the  northern  part  of  Mexico  they  were 
in  general  use.  All  of  them  were  hand-made  by  native 


146  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

blacksmiths,  and  at  that  time  they  cost  five  dollars  each, 
partly  because  of  the  scarcity  of  iron  and  steel. 

I  delivered  the  sample  to  Messrs.  Norton  and  Deutz, 
who  were  then  the  leading  hardware  merchants  in  San 
Antonio,  whose  business  connections  extended  into 
Mexico,  although  their  trade  was  mostly  confined  to 
Chihuahua.  I  stated  the  facts  to  them  and  suggested 
that  they  should  ascertain  from  northern  manufacturers 
the  cost  of  an  improved  hoe  similar  to  the  model.  Act- 
ing on  my  advice  they  arranged  to  have  a  better  and  more 
highly  finished  hoe  made  at  a  price  that  gave  the  retailer 
in  Mexico  a  liberal  profit  when  sold  at  three  dollars  each, 
consequently  they  supplanted  the  ruder  implement  and  in 
a  short  time  were  in  common  use  all  over  that  country. 
Doubtless  others  made  much  money  out  of  the  improve- 
ment, but  I  received  nothing  on  account  of  my  suggestion 
except  the  usual  charges  for  freighting  them  into  the 
country. 

The  following  year  a  tempting  offer  was  submitted  for 
my  acceptance,  and  I  was  influenced  by  its  liberal  in- 
ducements to  give  it  favorable  consideration.  Mr.  Gus- 
tave  Moye,  who  was  Consul  for  the  United  States  in 
Chihuahua,  and  a  brother-in-law  of  Governor  Tarrasas, 
offered  me  a  partnership  in  a  large  ranch  he  owned,  called 
El  Camado,  that  is  situated  eighty  miles  west  of  the  city. 
The  estate  represented  contained  about  sixty  thousand 
acres  of  land.  The  property,  though  only  partly  im- 
proved, was  very  valuable  and  the  prospect  offered  great 
encouragement  for  the  development  of  its  mines  and  other 
natural  resources. 

About  one  thousand  acres  were  under  irrigation,  and 
the  same  sources  of  supply  were  capable  of  furnishing 
sufficient  water  for  two  thousand  more  of  tillable  land. 
That  in  cultivation  was  very  productive  and  the  yield 
of  wheat,  oats,  corn  and  other  crops  was  enormous.  Irish 
potatoes  grew  wild  in  many  localities  and  reproduced 
abundantly.  Apples  of  good  flavor  also  grew  naturally 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  147 

in  that  region  and  the  trees  were  generally  loaded  with 
fruit  in  season. 

A  small  village  occupied  by  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  persons  of  all  ages  was  situated  on  the  land,  all  of 
whom  were  peons  and  belonged  to  the  owner  of  the  prem- 
ises. These  worked  the  land  and  performed  other  duties 
on  the  ranch  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Moye's  brother- 
in-law,  who  was  his  business  manager;  and  a  priest  at- 
tended to  their  spiritual  welfare  by  preaching  at  stated 
periods  in  the  little  church.  A  silver  mine  had  been 
partially  developed  on  the  property  from  which  a  large 
quantity  of  rich  ore  had  been  taken,  and  subsequently 
it  became  very  valuable. 

Mr.  Moye  offered  me  a  half  interest  in  the  ranch  and 
all  of  its  belongings,  in  return  for  my  services  and  a  joint 
interest  in  my  wagon-train.  He  stipulated  that  I  should 
reside  on  the  estate  with  my  family  and  devote  my  entire 
time  to  its  management,  and  that  the  wagons  and  teams 
were  to  be  used  exclusively  for  hauling  silver  ore  and 
agricultural  products  to  Chihuahua. 

His  generous  proposition  was  under  consideration  when 
I  left  with  my  train  for  Texas,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  I  would  have  accepted  his  offer  if  one  of  my  children 
had  not  died  soon  after  my  arrival  in  San  Antonio.  The 
sorrow  I  experienced  on  that  account  drove  the  subject 
from  my  thoughts,  and  I  gave  it  no  further  attention, 
although  Mr.  Moye  did  not  withdraw  his  offer  until  two 
years  after  it  was  submitted. 

I  realized  when  it  was  too  late  that  I  had  made  the 
greatest  mistake  of  my  life  when  I  failed  to  secure  the 
property  on  such  favorable  terms.  The  opportunity  to 
make  a  fortune  was  allowed  to  pass  from  my  grasp  with- 
out making  an  effort  to  secure  it,  because  it  would  have 
been  possible  for  me  to  have  purchased  the  entire  prop- 
erty for  less  than  half  of  the  amount  that  was  paid  when 
the  country  was  being  developed  by  American  capitalists, 
at  which  time  the  mine  was  sold  for  thirty-five  thousand 


148  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

dollars  and  the  ranch  for  forty  thousand  more.  The 
mine  alone  is  now  worth  a  fortune,  the  tillable  land  of  the 
ranch  is  in  cultivation,  and  the  remainder  is  stocked  with 
cattle. 

I  afterwards  hauled  many  thousands  of  pounds  of  po- 
tatoes from  the  ranch  to  Texas,  which  cost  me  nothing 
except  the  outlay  for  digging  them.  They  were  excel- 
lent as  food,  they  kept  well  and  were  not  injured  by 
transportation,  but  they  were  small  and  none  were  larger 
than  a  hen  egg.  I  often  sold  quantities  of  them  at  Forts 
Davis  and  Stockton,  at  retail,  for  fifteen  cents  per  pound ; 
but  I  once  sold  Mr.  A.  Cohen,  who  now  resides  on  Mar- 
shall Street  in  San  Antonio,  about  twenty  thousand 
pounds  for  ten  cents  per  pound,  when  he  was  the  busi- 
ness manager  of  a  suttler's  store  at  Fort  Stockton.  I 
also  sold  at  the  forts  many  crates  of  wild  apples  that  were 
gathered  on  the  ranch,  at  from  ten  to  twelve  dollars  per 
crate.  The  fruit  was  about  the  size  of  June  apples  and 
resembled  the  Bell-flower  apple  in  appearance,  but  they 
were  nicely  flavored  and  the  demand  for  them  was  greater 
than  I  could  supply.  The  fact  that  apples  and  Irish 
potatoes  are  supposed  to  be  indigenous  to  the  soil  in  that 
region  is  a  worthy  subject  for  investigation  by  scientists; 
and  if  the  impression  is  true,  the  general  opinion  with 
reference  to  the  origin  of  apples  and  potatoes  in  America, 
should  be  revised. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

MY  frequent  journeys  to  Chihuahua  had  made  the 
route  familiar  to  me,  and  when  preparing  for  a  trip  I 
made  in  February,  1873,  I  persuaded  Mrs.  Santleben  to 
go  with  me  and  take  our  child  Sophie  along.  The  In- 
dians had  caused  no  trouble  in  some  time  and  seemed  to 
be  perfectly  quiet,  consequently  I  apprehended  no  danger 
and  thought  that  the  journey  could  be  made  with  safety. 
The  distance  was  long  and  the  roads  were  rough,  but 
I  provided  an  ambulance,  drawn  by  two  good  mules,  for 
my  family,  also  a  young  girl,  now  Mrs.  Salsman,  who 
resides  at  Lacoste  Station,  to  travel  in,  and  after  making 
every  preparation  for  their  comfort  I  started  about  the 
middle  of  the  month. 

When  we  arrived  at  Fort  Clark  I  was  informed  that 
numerous  bands  of  Indians  had  been  seen  in  various  parts 
of  the  country,  and  it  was  feared  that  a  general  raid 
was  on  foot.  General  McKenzie  was  at  that  time  in 
command  of  the  post  and  he  was  making  the  necessary 
preparations  to  pursue  them. 

The  news  caused  me  to  feel  some  uneasiness,  but  I 
continued  my  journey  with  the  hope  that  we  would  avoid 
coming  in  contact  with  them.  I  was  somewhat  relieved 
at  noon  the  following  day,  when  I  met  Dr.  Livingston 
and  six  men  at  San  Felipe  (now  Del  Rio),  who  were 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  my  train,  with  the  intention  of 
traveling  with  us,  for  mutual  protection,  as  it  was  un- 
safe for  his  party  to  travel  alone.  They  were  from  the 
Eastern  States,  on  their  way  to  California,  with  a  pros- 
pecting outfit,  and  their  appearance  made  a  good 
impression. 

149 


150  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  next  morning  we  crossed  Devil's  River  and  nooned 
at  Painted  Cave.  The  following  day  General  McKenzie 
overtook  us  at  California  Springs,  where  we  had  stopped 
for  dinner,  and  he  camped  there.  His  command  consisted 
of  a  regiment  of  cavalry  and  one  company  of  Seminole 
Indians,  which  was  accompanied  by  ten  wagons  and  a 
hospital  ambulance  in  charge  of  a  surgeon. 

The  general  advised  me  to  remain  and  travel  under 
the  protection  of  his  troops  to  Beaver  Lake,  at  the  head 
of  Devil's  River,  where  he  intended  to  establish  his  camp, 
and  promised  that  from  there  he  would  send  his  scouts 
towards  the  head  of  the  Concho,  the  Pecos  and  the  Rio 
Grande,  to  keep  the  other  Indians  from  coming  in,  and 
head  off  those  who  had  already  spread  over  the  country. 

I  thanked  him  for  his  kind  intentions  and  said  that  I 
appreciated  the  interest  he  took  in  the  safety  of  my  train, 
but  told  him  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  travel 
with  his  troops  on  account  of  my  big  wagons  and  their 
heavy  loads.  So  we  left  him  there  and  camped  that  night 
at  Dead-man's  Pass.  We  nooned  next  day  at  Fort  Hud- 
son, that  was  abandoned  in  1860  and  was  then  unoccu- 
pied, and  camped  that  night  between  the  seventeenth  and 
eighteenth  crossing  on  Devil's  River.  From  there  it  was 
only  a  short  distance  to  Beaver  Lake,  where  at  noon  the 
following  day  General  McKenzie  overtook  us,  and  made 
camp.  The  general  was  aware  that  I  was  compelled  to 
go  forward  and  could  not  wait  for  results  from  his  scout- 
ing expeditions  that  he  intended  to  send  out  next  day, 
and  did  not  urge  me  to  delay,  but  he  cautioned  me  to  be 
very  careful. 

We  started  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  for 
Howard's  Well,  about  forty-five  miles  distant,  where  there 
was  water.  Dr.  Livingston  and  his  six  men  rode  ahead 
of  my  train,  with  six  pack-mules  loaded  with  provisions 
and  his  mining  outfit.  They  were  about  a  mile  in  front 
of  my  wagons  and  only  three  miles  from  McKenzie's 
camp  when  a  party  of  about  forty  Indians  attacked  them 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  151 

from  both  sides  of  the  road.  They  killed  Black,  a  man 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  Jones,  about  the  same 
age,  was  wounded  in  the  knee.  One  mule  was  killed  and 
all  the  others  were  captured,  after  the  survivors  hurried 
by  defeat  back  to  the  wagons.  The  wounded  man,  who 
was  suffering  great  pain,  was  sent  immediately  to  Mc- 
Kenzie's  camp,  where  his  leg  was  amputated,  but  he  died 
that  night,  and  they  buried  him  on  the  shores  of  Beaver 
Lake.  Black  was  buried  that  evening  in  a  shallow  grave 
among  the  rocks  where  he  was  killed. 

The  official  report  of  General  McKenzie's  campaigns 
in  Texas  probably  refers  to  this  incident,  and  if  so, 
other  particulars  relating  to  the  subject  may  be  given 
in  that  connection  with  which  I  am  not  conversant.  I 
only  know  that  a  detachment  of  troops  was  sent  in  pur- 
suit of  the  Indians,  but  I  do  not  know  if  they  succeeded 
in  overtaking  them. 

Dr.  Livingston  and  his  four  surviving  companions  con- 
tinued their  journey  with  us,  and  one  of  them  was  a  boy 
about  eighteen  years  of  age,  known  as  Head  Boone,  who 
became  greatly  attached  to  Mrs.  Santleben  and  our  chil- 
dren. His  expressions  of  discontent  indicated  that  he 
had  grown  weary  of  traveling  and  was  very  much  dis- 
gusted with  his  trip.  He  was  anxious  to  return  to  his 
home  in  St.  Louis,  where  his  mother  resided,  and  when 
I  told  him  that  he  could  remain  with  me,  and  promised 
to  send  him  back  when  we  returned  to  San  Antonio,  he 
showed  more  contentment.  Perhaps  his  despondency 
was  a  premonition  of  the  tragedy  so  near  at  hand,  that 
prevented  me  from  carrying  out  my  kind  intentions. 

Four  days  after  the  Indian  fight,  when  we  were  in 
camp  thirty  miles  southeast  of  Lost  Pond,  the  unfor- 
tunate boy  attempted  to  secure  a  rope  that  was  attached 
to  his  saddle.  A  heavily  loaded,  old-fashioned  shotgun 
was  also  fastened  to  the  saddle,  which  he  overlooked  in 
the  darkness,  as  it  was  nine  o'clock  at  night.  When  pull- 
ing the  rope  the  gun  was  accidentally  fired,  and  a  load 


152  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

of  buck-shot  entered  his  stomach  just  below  the  breast- 
bone. We  all  hastened  to  his  assistance,  but  it  could  be 
seen  at  a  glance  that  his  case  was  hopeless,  and  he  died 
about  an  hour  afterwards. 

The  accident  was  very  distressing  and  we  were  greatly 
depressed  in  spirits  after  it  occurred,  because  of  the 
friendly  feeling  we  entertained  for  him.  I  would  not 
consider  the  thought  of  burying  him  in  a  desert,  and 
made  immediate  preparations  to  move  forward  to  Lost 
Pond,  although  it  was  only  a  watering-place.  We  ar- 
rived at  that  place  about  nine  o'clock  the  following  morn- 
ing and  proceeded  at  once  to  look  for  a  suitable  resting- 
place  for  the  young  man's  body.  We  selected  a  spot  on 
the  side  of  a  little  hill,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the 
road.  The  grave  we  quarried  through  four  feet  of  soft 
rock,  after  removing  the  surface  soil,  and  the  corpse, 
wrapped  in  a  blanket,  was  placed  on  a  bed  of  hay  in  its 
vault  with  as  much  respect  as  it  was  possible  for  us  to 
observe;  and  above  was  a  covering  of  boards  two  inches 
thick,  taken  from  my  wagons.  I  cut  his  name  on  a  slab 
of  stone  and  placed  it  at  the  head  of  his  grave,  and  Mrs. 
Santleben  and  the  girls  planted  cactus  on  the  mound, 
which  was  enclosed  by  a  rock  fence.  While  these  sad 
rites  were  being  observed,  the  usual  guard  was  placed 
on  the  surrounding  hills  to  protect  the  camp  from  a 
sudden  surprise. 

In  after  times  when  passing  the  place  I  would  call  the 
attention  of  my  traveling  companions  to  the  spot  and 
relate  the  particulars  of  the  tragedy,  and  its  memories 
always  gave  rise  to  feelings  of  sorrow.  After  my  return 
from  Chihuahua  I  narrated  the  incident,  with  all  of  the 
facts,  to  James  P.  Newcomb,  who  communicated  them  to 
a  St.  Louis  paper,  but  perhaps  the  article  was  not  seen  by 
his  people,  because  I  never  heard  from  them.  Possibly 
some  one  of  his  family  will  read  this,  who  will  feel  an  in- 
terest in  the  fate  of  the  unfortunate  youth  whose  end 
has  remained  a  mystery  so  many  years,  and  will  be  glad 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  153 

to  know  that  strangers  gave  him  a  decent  burial  in  the 
wilds  of  Texas. 

After  the  funeral  was  over  we  resumed  our  journey 
from  Lost  Pond,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
nooned  next  day  at  abandoned  Fort  Lancaster,  crossed 
the  Pecos  after  dinner  and  drove  along  the  west  side 
of  the  river  until  we  arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain 
about  three  hundred  feet  high,  near  Pecos  Springs,  that 
rose  between  the  road  and  the  river.  From  there  Liv- 
ingston and  a  companion  named  Williams  passed  over 
the  mountain  towards  the  river,  where  they  surprised  a 
band  of  Indians.  Both  parties  were  badly  frightened 
and  ran  in  opposite  directions,  without  taking  time  to 
note  the  number  on  either  side.  The  white  men,  as  they 
hurried  toward  me,  yelled  "  Indians !  "  every  jump  and 
showed  that  they  were  badly  demoralized,  consequently 
they  created  considerable  alarm.  Under  the  impression 
that  an  immediate  attack  would  be  made,  the  wagons  were 
corralled  in  a  few  moments,  with  the  mules  on  the  inside, 
and  we  prepared  to  meet  the  enemy,  but  were  not  molested. 

Our  journey  was  not  interrupted  afterwards  and  noth- 
ing of  importance  occurred  before  reaching  Chihuahua. 
I  delivered  my  freight  and  remained  there  fifteen  days 
collecting  my  cargo  of  copper  and  hides  with  which  my 
wagons  were  loaded,  and  in  addition  I  brought  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  Mexican  silver  coin  to 
Texas,  that  was  consigned  to  Messrs.  Heick  &  Bros,  at 
Indianola. 

Our  return  trip  was  devoid  of  interest  until  we  passed 
Fort  Hudson,  when  making  a  night  drive,  near  Dead- 
man's  Pass,  considerable  excitement  was  caused  in  that 
desolate  region,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  by 
an  alarm  that  led  us  to  believe  that  Indians  were  in  our 
vicinity. 

The  ambulance  in  which  my  wife,  with  our  child,  and 
the  girl  were  traveling,  was  immediately  behind  the 
front  wagon  that  was  loaded  with  money,  and  in  it  Mr. 


154  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

E.  A.  MiUs,  a  brother  of  W.  W.  Mills  of  the  El  Paso 
custom-house,  Mr.  McChalton,  a  deputy  custom-house 
officer  of  Presidio  del  Norte,  and  myself  were  riding. 
The  ambulance  was  driven  by  Wiley  Miller,  who  was  hired 
for  that  purpose  and  to  cook,  and  it  was  placed  in  the 
train  where  I  could  be  near  my  family  in  case  of  danger. 

The  scare  was  caused  by  the  herd  of  mules,  which  the 
caporal  and  his  men  were  driving  in  front  of  the  train. 
Without  any  perceptible  cause  they  suddenly  became 
frightened  and  stampeded  in  every  direction,  and  the 
caporal  and  herders  instantly  followed  in  pursuit,  after 
warning  us  by  shouting  "  Indians ! "  who  it  was  believed 
caused  the  terror. 

The  excitement  occasioned  by  the  cry  spread  rapidly, 
but  none  were  more  panic-stricken  than  Wiley  Miller  as 
he  turned  loose  the  lines  and  jumped  from  the  seat  of 
the  ambulance.  His  team  also  became  wild  with  fright, 
and  with  no  one  to  guide  them,  they  followed  in  the  wake 
of  the  scattered  herd  at  full  speed. 

Mrs.  Santleben  and  child  and  the  girl  were  in  great 
danger,  from  which  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  escape 
by  their  own  efforts,  because  the  curtains  of  the  ambu- 
lance were  all  down  and  fastened  on  the  outside,  as  was 
that  also  in  front,  behind  the  driver's  seat.  But  for- 
tunately the  team  was  caught  by  the  men  on  horse-back, 
near  a  steep  bluff,  about  forty  feet  in  depth,  towards 
which  they  were  running,  and  my  family  was  rescued  from 
a  serious  or  perhaps  fatal  accident. 

The  men  insisted  that  the  trouble  was  caused  by  In- 
dians, but  probably  it  was  a  false  alarm,  and  the  mules 
may  have  been  scared  by  a  panther,  bear,  or  Mexican 
lion,  because  all  of  these  animals  were  common  in  that 
region.  Possibly  the  unusual  sight  of  wagons  attracted 
their  curiosity  and  one  may  have  approached  the  road 
nearer  than  usual  before  the  presence  of  men  was 
discovered. 

This  incident  caused  some  delay,  but  after  the  excite- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  155 

ment  subsided  and  I  could  think  more  rationally,  I  was 
thankful  that  my  wife  and  child  had  been  preserved 
from  the  tragedy  that  threatened  them.  My  gratitude 
influenced  me  to  pardon  Wiley  Miller,  who  is  now  with 
George  Koerner,  in  San  Antonio,  where  he  has  been  em- 
ployed continuously  during  the  past  fifteen  years. 

The  excitement  and  dangers  of  the  trip  did  not  deter 
Mrs.  Santleben  from  undertaking  a  second  journey  to 
Chihuahua,  and  she  accompanied  me,  with  her  infant 
daughter,  Charlotta,  and  the  older  child,  in  December 
the  following  year.  Miss  Amelia  Stienly,  a  young  lady 
whose  home  was  in  Castroville,  traveled  with  us  from 
there  to  Fort  Stockton,  where  she  stopped  to  visit  her 
sister,  Mrs.  Mary  Arnold,  and  her  place  was  filled  by  Miss 
Maggie  Burns,  fifteen  years  of  age,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Mar- 
tin of  Austin. 

My  train  was  about  six  days  ahead  of  me  when  we 
started  from  San  Antonio,  and  I  was  anxious  to  overtake 
it  before  the  wagons  reached  Fort  Clark,  because  the 
Indians  were  raiding  in  the  country.  I  drove  the  ambu- 
lance that  was  occupied  by  the  ladies  and  children,  and 
my  only  attendant  was  a  Mexican  named  Falstina,  who 
rode  on  horse-back. 

We  met  with  no  interruptions  until  we  were  traveling 
along  the  highway  near  -the  Nueces  River,  about  nine 
o'clock  at  night,  when  three  men  suddenly  sprang  from 
the  side  of  the  road,  one  in  front  of  the  horses  and  the 
other  two  toward  the  vehicle,  one  of  whom  ordered  me  to 
halt,  and  holloed  "  Hands  up ! "  Acting  under  the  im- 
pulse of  the  moment,  I  fired  at  the  man  in  front  of  the 
team  and  a  second  shot  at  one  of  the  others  on  the  left 
side  of  the  ambulance.  The  two  reports  and  flashes  of 
the  pistol,  both  in  rapid  succession,  frightened  the  horses, 
and  they  dashed  forward  at  the  moment  the  highwaymen 
commenced  shooting.  But  as  they  were  all  on  foot,  the 
horses  at  the  gait  they  traveled,  soon  removed  us  from 
danger  after  passing  the  first  turn  in  the  road.  My 


156  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

wife  was  cool  and  collected,  but  Miss  Stienly  was  badly 
frightened,  as  was  my  Mexican  escort,  who  deserted  me. 

About  twenty  shots  were  fired,  but  no  one  was  hurt, 
unless  my  aim  was  true,  and  only  one  of  the  robbers'  bul- 
lets shattered  a  spoke  in  a  rear  wheel  of  my  ambulance. 
The  affair  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  only  occupied 
a  few  moments,  and  after  the  danger  was  over  I  realized 
that  I  had  done  a  very  foolish  thing  when  I  endangered 
the  lives  of  my  family  unnecessarily  by  resisting  the  high- 
waymen's demands,  and  I  reproached  myself  severely 
afterwards  for  my  thoughtlessness. 

The  next  day  we  overtook  my  train  at  Turkey  Creek, 
and  no  other  incident  occurred  that  is  worthy  of  notice 
until  we  arrived  at  Fort  Stockton,  where  Miss  Stienly 
was  welcomed  by  her  relatives.  She  had  been  a  pleasant 
companion  and  we  regretted  to  part  from  her,  but  we 
did  not  miss  her  so  much  as  we  would  have  done,  if  Miss 
Maggie  Burns  had  not  decided  to  visit  Chihuahua  with 
us. 

Our  journey  from  that  point  was  devoid  of  excitement, 
and  I  can  only  recall  one  event  that  was  at  all  remark- 
able, which  happened  about  fifty  miles  northeast  of 
Presidio  del  Norte.  Mrs.  Santleben  walked  off  a  short 
distance  from  camp  to  look  for  moss-agates,  that  were 
abundant  in  that  country,  and  in  the  high  grass  she  dis- 
covered two  complete  human  skeletons.  None  of  the 
bones  had  been  disturbed,  and  they  were  bleached  white. 
Evidently  they  had  been  there  a  long  time,  and  nothing 
could  be  found  in  the  vicinity  that  suggested  the  cause 
of  their  death ;  nor  could  we  tell  whether  the  remains  were 
of  white  men  or  Indians. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

ON  one  of  my  trips  with  freight  consigned  to  Fort 
Stockton,  I  met  with  an  exciting  adventure  at  California 
Springs,  about  half  way  between  Painted  Cave  and  Fort 
Hudson.  These  two  places  are  situated  near  the  first 
and  at  the  second  crossings  of  Devil's  River,  forty-six 
miles  apart,  in  which  distance  there  is  no  water  except 
occasionally  at  California  Springs  after  protracted  rains. 

We  were  making  a  night  drive  and  when  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  so-called  springs  I  decided  to  ride  on  ahead 
and  look  for  water  at  that  place  with  the  hope  of  finding 
it  before  the  wagons  arrived.  I  left  the  train  on  horse- 
back about  eleven  o'clock  p.  M.,  in  company  with  Olojio 
Danda,  one  of  my  herders,  who  had  been  in  my  service 
some  time  and  had  proved  himself  a  very  reliable  man. 
He  was  a  citizen  of  Presidio  del  Norte,  and  one  of  the 
reasons  that  induced  me  to  employ  him  was  because  he 
was  known  as  a  great  Indian  fighter. 

His  reputation  was  acquired  on  the  trail  that  passed 
between  Presidio  and  Fort  Davis,  over  which  marauding 
bands  of  Comanches  and  other  warlike  tribes  often  passed 
when  making  raids  into  Texas,  where  the  men  of  Presidio 
frequently  intercepted  them.  Occasionally  they  fought 
them  openly,  but  their  favorite  mode  of  attack  was  from 
ambush,  and  sometimes  they  proved  themselves  equally  as 
expert  as  their  red  brethren  by  stealthily  recovering  all 
the  horses  the  Indians  had  stolen  on  their  raids.  The 
services  of  such  men  were  always  in  demand  in  that  region 
because  they  were  versed  in  Indian  ways  and  their  cour- 
age was  equal  to  any  occasion. 

We  arrived  at  the  springs  about  one  o'clock  in  the 

157 


158  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

morning  and  made  a  thorough  search  for  water,  but  none 
could  be  found  anywhere.  About  that  time  we  saw  to- 
wards the  north  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  a  dim  light, 
and  Olojio  suggested  that  we  should  find  out  what  it 
meant.  I  did  not  favor  an  investigation  because  I 
thought  that  it  might  be  an  Indian  camp,  but  I  made 
no  objections  to  his  proposition.  I  was  riding  a  good 
horse  and  knew  that  I  could  make  my  escape  if  my  sus- 
picions were  substantiated,  and  Olojio  was  riding  an 
active  little  mule  on  which  he  kept  ahead  of  me  as  we 
followed  the  windings  of  the  drain  through  a  heavy  un- 
dergrowth of  mesquite  that  extended  in  that  direction. 

We  approached  the  fire  cautiously,  but  our  animals 
made  considerable  noise  tramping  on  the  loose  rocks,  that 
could  be  heard  some  distance.  When  within  about  fifty 
yards  our  curiosity  was  satisfied  when  a  bunch  of  In- 
dians sprang  to  their  feet  in  the  circle  of  light  and 
instantly  disappeared  in  the  darkness.  Olojio,  who  was 
a  few  yards  ahead  of  me,  gave  the  startling  cry  of  "  In- 
dians !  "  as  he  quickly  wheeled  his  mule,  and  the  dreaded 
name  was  repeated  when  he  dashed  by  me  before  I  could 
turn  my  horse.  There  was  no  need  for  him  to  sound 
the  alarm,  because  I  had  been  shocked  by  the  exciting 
apparition  that  stimulated  his  actions  and  I  made  no 
unnecessary  delay.  He  kept  in  the  lead  a  short  dis- 
tance, as  we  hurriedly  retreated  over  the  route  that  had 
led  us  into  the  danger,  but  when  I  got  in  front  the  mule 
was  soon  out  of  the  race  and  I  could  hear  Olojio's  plead- 
ing voice  in  the  distance  pitifully  appealing  to  me  in 
Spanish,  saying,  "  Boss !  Boss !  Don't  leave  me."  It 
was  a  cry  for  help  which  I  could  not  ignore,  and  it  made 
me  check  the  speed  of  my  horse  while  I  reproached  my- 
self for  the  thoughtlessness  that  led  me  to  abandon  him; 
but  at  that  moment  Olojio's  mule  passed  me  without  his 
rider  and  my  belief  was  that  the  Indians  had  overtaken 
and  killed  him.  The  impression  gave  me  a  fresh  start 
and  added  impetus  to  my  speed,  though  I  could  scarcely 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  159 

keep  up  with  the  unincumbered  mule  that,  on  account  of 
his  fright,  ran  as  swift  as  a  deer  in  the  direction  of  the 
wagons  after  entering  the  road. 

Our  race  did  not  relax  its  fleetness  until  we  met  the 
wagons,  about  two  miles  from  the  springs,  where  we  came 
to  a  halt.  Our  sudden  appearance  created  alarm  and 
great  excitement  prevailed  among  my  drivers  and  herders 
when  I  related  what  had  happened.  They  too  believed 
that  Olojio  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians  and  we  pro- 
ceeded on  our  journey  with  the  intention  of  finding  his 
remains  and  giving  them  a  decent  burial,  but  we  were 
greatly  relieved  after  traveling  about  a  mile  when  we 
saw  the  supposed  dead  man  limping  towards  us  in  the 
distance.  We  were  all  glad  to  know,  when  we  met,  that 
he  had  escaped  serious  injury,  and  that  he  had  not  en- 
countered the  Indians.  Olojio  accounted  for  his  lame- 
ness by  explaining  that  his  mule  had  stepped  into  a  hole, 
and  when  the  animal  stumbled  he  was  thrown  over  his 
head  with  such  force  as  to  cripple  his  leg.  He  also  lost 
his  gun  when  he  fell,  and  it  was  recovered  when  we  re- 
turned from  Fort  Stockton. 

My  reflections,  when  I  seriously  canvassed  the  inci- 
dent, made  me  realize  that  I  had  done  a  very  foolish 
thing  by  risking  my  life  unnecessarily  in  a  country  that 
was  full  of  dangers  and  under  circumstances  which  made 
it  a  reckless  enterprise.  The  fact  that  the  Indians  were 
as  badly  frightened  as  we  were  did  not  mitigate  the 
folly,  because  if  they  had  not  been  startled  out  of  their 
sleep  the  episode  might  have  had  a  different  ending.  I 
was  taught  a  good  lesson  through  my  experiences  in  that 
connection,  because  I  never  afterwards  hunted  for 
trouble  with  Indians  and  was  always  glad  when  I  did  not 
see  or  hear  of  any  on  my  travels. 

During  that  period  no  precautions  against  marauding 
savages  could  be  relied  on,  even  in  the  vicinity  of  set- 
tled communities.  To  illustrate  the  fact,  I  had  a  lonely 
adventure  a  few  years  later,  similar  to  the  foregoing, 


160  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

within  forty-five  miles  of  San  Antonio,  that  terminated 
very  nearly  in  the  same  way  and  without  injury  to 
anyone. 

I  had  been  absent  from  my  family  about  four  months 
and  naturally  was  anxious  to  get  home.  My  train  was 
camped  at  the  High-hill,  on  the  Fredericksburg  and  Fort 
Concho  road,  when  I  left  it  about  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  started  on  horse-back  for  San  Antonio  by 
moonlight  over  a  road  that  was  familiar  to  me.  I 
crossed  the  Guadalupe  River,  where  Waring  is  now  sit- 
uated, and  turned  into  a  dim  trail  that  was  half  a  mile 
shorter  than  the  wagon  road  to  the  point  where  I  would 
re-enter  it.  The  route  was  level  and  my  longings  to 
reach  home  as  soon  as  possible  prompted  me  to  urge  my 
horse  forward  in  a  slow  gallop,  but  we  had  only  pro- 
ceeded about  three  hundred  yards  when  my  horse  passed 
through  a  bunch  of  Indians  lying  beside  the  trail,  who 
were  evidently  asleep.  Some  of  them  sprang  to  their 
feet  as  I  rode  among  them,  but  before  they  could  do  any 
harm  I  realized  the  danger  I  was  in,  and  at  that  instant 
my  horse  bounded  beyond  their  reach  as  he  felt  the  stroke 
of  my  whip,  which  I  continued  to  apply  until  he  was  run- 
ning at  the  top  of  his  speed.  How  far  he  ran  before 
checking  his  gait  is  not  remembered,  but  I  am  sure  that 
we  traveled  a  considejable  distance.  I  do  not  know  how 
the  Indians  felt  when  I  galloped  among  them,  but  they 
must  have  been  as  badly  frightened  as  I  was  when  I  saw 
them.  I  was  very  much  surprised  at  finding  Indians 
that  near  San  Antonio  after  passing  through  hundreds 
of  miles  of  country  in  which  they  ranged  without  seeing 
any;  but  they  were  the  real  article,  as  was  proved  by 
the  damage  they  did  a  few  days  later  by  killing  two  or 
three  sheep-herders  and  stealing  a  number  of  horses  in 
that  section  of  country. 

Very  few  of  my  acquaintances  are  aware  of  the  fact 
that  I  was  once  engaged  in  the  brewing  business  in 
Chihuahua,  therefore  I  will  relate  my  experiences  in  con- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  161 

nection  with  the  enterprise  from  its  inception  until  I 
pocketed  my  losses  and  charged  them  up  to  my  foolish 
confidence  in  human  nature. 

The  man  with  whom  I  was  associated  introduced  him- 
self as  John  Kohler  when  I  first  met  him  in  San  Antonio, 
in  1873,  immediately  after  his  arrival  in  the  city.  He 
was  then  friendless,  destitute  of  money,  and  shabbily 
clothed.  He  approached  me  and  submitted  for  my  in- 
spection a  certificate  from  a  St.  Louis  brewer  that 
highly  recommended  him  as  a  first-class  brewer,  and  en- 
dorsed him  as  an  honorable  man.  His  credentials  ap- 
peared to  be  correct  and  I  was  satisfied  that  he 
understood  his  business,  otherwise  he  could  not  have 
secured  such  commendations.  After  hearing  him  talk 
I  became  favorably  impressed,  and  when  he  expressed  a 
desire  to  start  a  small  brewery  somewhere  in  Texas,  I 
offered  to  take  him  with  me  to  Mexico  and  establish  him 
in  business  in  Chihuahua.  The  numerous  advantages  of 
the  situation  that  I  mentioned  seemed  to  please  him,  and 
he  accepted  my  proposition. 

I  provided  for  his  immediate  necessities,  and  with  his 
assistance  I  purchased  the  outfit  required  for  a  small 
brewery,  including  everything  required  for  the  plant, 
which  I  agreed  to  haul.  It  was  also  understood  that 
I  was  to  furnish  the  capital  to  start  the  business,  and 
that  after  my  outlay  was  repaid  the  net  profits  should 
be  divided  equally  between  us. 

Kohler  accompanied  my  train  which  transported  the 
outfit,  in  1874*,  and  the  brewing  establishment  was  suc- 
cessfully inaugurated  in  June.  It  was  a  small  affair 
when  compared  with  modern  institutions  of  that  kind, 
but  it  was  distinguished  as  the  first  brewery  that  was 
ever  established  in  Chihuahua.  The  enterprise  was  suc- 
cessfully operated,  and  Kohler  demonstrated  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  every  one  that  he  knew  how  to  make  good 
beer.  His  prices  were  reasonable  and  the  public  showed 
their  appreciation  by  extending  him  a  liberal  patronage. 


162  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

He  sold  his  beer  in  bottles  only,  for  which  he  charged  six 
dollars  per  dozen  quarts,  and  pints  sold  at  three  dollars 
and  a  half  a  dozen.  At  these  prices  his  supply  of  hops, 
bottles,  corks,  etc.,  was  soon  exhausted,  but  about  that 
time  I  returned  from  San  Antonio  and  replenished  his 
stock. 

I  was  astonished  at  his  success,  and  the  praise  be- 
stowed on  his  beer  was  merited,  because  it  was  excellent. 
With  his  knowledge  of  the  business  there  was  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  be  superior  in  quality,  because  it  was 
made  from  the  finest  grade  of  hops  that  could  be  pro- 
cured in  the  market.  It  was  also  cheaper  than  St.  Louis 
beer  that  sold  in  Chihuahua  at  one  and  a  half  dollars 
a  quart  or  twelve  dollars  a  dozen  bottles,  or  twice  our 
prices,  consequently  we  had  no  competition.  The  ven- 
ture had  surpassed  our  most  sanguine  expectations,  and 
its  future  prospects  encouraged  me  to  entertain  the 
thought  of  enlarging  the  establishment. 

I  again  returned  to  San  Antonio  and  did  not  get  back 
to  Chihuahua  before  December,  with  my  usual  quantity 
of  freight,  including  additional  supplies  for  the  brewery. 
Much  to  my  surprise  and  disappointment  I  learned  that 
the  brewery  was  closed,  and  my  friends  informed  me  that 
Kohler  had  anticipated  my  arrival  ten  days  before  by 
secretly  departing  from  the  city,  but  no  one  knew  in 
which  direction  he  had  gone.  He  sold  the  property  be- 
longing to  the  plant  for  a  small  amount  of  money,  but 
that  received  from  the  business  represented  a  consider- 
able sum,  which,  added  to  the  expense  I  had  incurred, 
constituted  a  heavy  loss. 

He  knew  that  I  would  demand  my  share  of  the  profits, 
in  addition  to  the  outlay  of  one  thousand  dollars  I  spent 
in  starting  the  business,  and  he  concluded  that  he  would 
make  a  stake  when  he  had  a  chance.  He  was  one  of  the 
"  get  rich  quick  "  sort,  and  the  old  story  was  illustrated 
over  again  in  which  I  had  the  experience  and  he  had  the 
capital ;  but  if  he  had  pursued  a  different  course  and  hon- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  163 

estly  conducted  the  business  we  would  both  have  realized 
a  fortune  in  a  few  years  by  continuing  the  enterprise. 
It  was  capable  of  being  developed  into  large  propor- 
tions because  the  location  was  excellent  and  the  beer  had 
won  a  reputation.  Instead  of  doing  so,  Kohler  chose 
to  rob  his  benefactor,  who  had  lifted  him  from  poverty 
to  competency,  and  he  became  a  fugitive  from  justice. 
I  traced  him  to  Parral,  but  gave  up  the  search  under  the 
belief  that  he  had  gone  to  Europe,  and  I  have  never 
heard  of  him  since. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

I  WAS  in  Chihuahua  in  1874  after  making  an  un- 
eventful journey  westward,  and  I  quartered  my  teams 
as  usual  in  the  city  at  the  meson  de  Massarre,  where 
wagon  trains  and  transient  persons  with  animals  usually 
stopped.  The  establishment  was  instituted  for  the  con- 
venience of  travelers  and  freighters,  and  they  are  found 
in  many  cities  throughout  Mexico.  Massarre  was  the 
owner's  name  and  a  meson  means  an  inn  or  hostelry. 
The  buildings  occupied  a  large  square  and  they  are 
worth  describing.  The  stalls,  with  a  cement  trough  in 
each,  sufficient  for  stabling  fully  six  hundred  animals, 
are  built  around  the  sides.  The  square  inside  has  room 
for  four  trains  of  heavy  wagons  at  one  time,  and  in  the 
center  stood  the  granary,  a  peculiar  stone  structure,  in 
the  shape  of  a  bottle  with  a  round  tower  that  resembles 
the  neck.  It  is  seventy-five  feet  high  and  twenty  feet 
in  diameter,  with  steps  that  wind  around  the  outside  to 
a  platform  on  top,  up  which  the  corn  is  carried  and  de- 
posited in  an  opening.  When  the  tower  is  full  the  open- 
ing is  sealed  up  with  adobe  mortar  that  -makes  it  air- 
tight. Its  capacity  is  about  five  thousand  fanegas,  or 
about  fifteen  thousand  bushels,  and  that  quantity  of 
corn  has  been  kept  three  years  in  perfect  condition  with- 
out weevils.  The  corn  was  taken  out  from  an  opening 
below  that  was  secured  by  an  iron  gate  and  lock. 

The  meson  was  a  private  enterprise,  and  the  charges 
were  fixed  for  sheltering  a  train,  but  those  for  provender 
were  governed  by  the  market  price.  Sometimes  a  series 
of  drouths  caused  a  scarcity  of  corn  and  forage,  conse- 
quently it  was  necessary  to  secure  a  large  supply  in  sea- 

164 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  165 

sons  of  plenty  for  such  emergencies  in  order  to  facili- 
tate traffic  in  the  country  by  furnishing  accommodations 
for  those  engaged  in  the  business.  Usually  the  price 
for  a  fanega  of  corn  ranged  from  two  to  three  dollars, 
but  after  a  season  of  drouth  it  was  more;  or  when  the 
country  was  distracted  by  civil  war,  high  prices  pre- 
vailed, as  in  1873,  when  I  paid  $12  a  fanega  for  corn, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  get  at  that  price. 

A  few  days  after  my  arrival  a  large  body  of  friendly 
Indians  came  into  the  city  to  celebrate  a  recent  great 
victory  they  had  gained  over  one  of  the  hostile  tribes 
toward  the  northwest,  about  fifty  miles  distant.  The 
authorities  had  granted  them  the  privilege  of  passing 
through  the  streets  in  a  triumphal  procession,  for  the 
purpose  of  displaying  the  trophies  they  had  won  in  their 
foray  into  the  enemies'  country. 

The  wild  Indians,  represented  by  the  Apaches,  Co- 
manches,  Lipans,  Navajos,  and  other  fierce  tribes,  had 
desolated  the  State  for  a  number  of  years,  and  had 
proved  themselves  a  great  scourge  in  the  northern  por- 
tion of  Mexico,  where  they  had  materially  injured  the 
country.  In  order  to  suppress  them,  Governor  Luis 
Tarrasas,  of  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  offered  a  reward 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  every  scalp  taken 
from  the  head  of  an  unfriendly  Indian.  The  agreement 
stipulated  that  the  scalp  should  be  identified  by  other 
trophies  taken  from  the  enemy,  so  that  no  impositions 
could  be  practiced.  As  the  dress  and  ornaments,  also 
the  bows  and  arrows,  of  every  tribe  were  different  and 
could  be  easily  recognized  by  those  familiar  with  them, 
deceptions  could  not  be  practiced  with  impunity.  These 
were  turned  over  to  the  government  officials,  and,  if  the 
evidence  was  satisfactory,  the  reward  was  paid  imme- 
diately. 

The  friendly  Indians  on  the  reservations,  influenced 
by  this  reward,  made  a  regular  business  of  waging  war 
on  the  wild  tribes,  and  they  would  absent  themselves 


166  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

from  their  villages  for  months,  seeking  opportunities  to 
secure  scalps,  by  waylaying  their  victims  in  favorable 
localities;  but  frequently  their  object  was  effected  by 
surprises  which  resulted  in  the  extermination  of  entire 
settlements.  The  State  did  not  concern  itself  with  ref- 
erence to  their  plan  of  warfare,  and  it  approved  their 
destruction  by  any  method  that  might  be  adopted,  be- 
cause the  hostilities  were  a  constant  menace.  A  natural 
enmity  existed  between  the  peaceable  and  warlike  tribes 
and  it  was  easy  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  the  former  by 
offering  liberal  rewards.  By  such  means  the  State  rid 
itself  of  a  large  number  of  uncontrollable  savages  and 
gave  protection  to  its  citizens. 

The  celebration  I  witnessed  was  not  only  approved  by 
the  city  officials,  but  the  programme  was,  evidently,  ar- 
ranged by  them  beforehand.  The  procession  entered  the 
city  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  a  brass  band 
in  front  discoursed  appropriate  music.  The  warriors 
followed  on  horseback,  in  their  war-paint  and  decked  out 
in  all  their  finery,  about  fifteen  of  whom  had  long  poles 
to  which  were  secured  the  scalps  of  their  victims  killed 
in  battle,  together  with  the  bows  and  other  trophies 
necessary  to  prove  their  valor.  The  women  and  children 
of  the  tribe  came  next,  on  horses,  also  in  single  file,  and 
their  oddity  added  an  attraction  to  the  display.  I  was 
greatly  impressed  by  the  significance  of  the  occasion, 
which  had  the  appearance  of  a  great  festival,  on  account 
of  the  interest  manifested  by  the  citizens. 

A  few  days  after  witnessing  the  parade  I  started  with 
my  train  for  Texas,  having  my  wagons  loaded  heavily 
with  freight,  to  which  was  added  a  large  sum  of  money. 
Nothing  of  importance  occurred  until  I  arrived  at  a 
place  called  Mula,  situated  about  forty  miles  west  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  where  a  custom-house  officer  was  stationed. 
The  facts  will  show  that  it  was  a  very  unpleasant  inci- 
dent, and  one  that  led  to  my  arrest  and  the  sequestra- 
tion of  my  train,  with  its  entire  cargo,  by  an  officer  of 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  167 

the  government,  under  a  suspicion  that  part  of  the 
freight  was  contraband.  I  was  accused  of  smuggling, 
and  under  that  charge  I  was  tried  before  the  Federal 
Court,  but  I  was  acquitted  because  the  evidence  was  not 
sufficient  to  convict  me. 

Before  stating  the  facts  in  the  case,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  relate  the  preliminary  circumstances  that  asso- 
ciated me  with  it,  and  they  were  about  as  follows: 

The  Mexican  Government,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the 
copper  money  that  flooded  the  country,  provided  for 
the  coinage  of  five-  and  ten-cent  pieces,  and  the  mint  in 
Chihuahua  was  compelled  to  coin  ten  per  cent,  of  its' 
total  silver  output  in  coins  of  those  denominations.  As 
the  merchants  in  the  city  were  opposed  to  retiring  the 
copper  money  from  circulation,  because  it  was  the  money 
of  the  poorer  classes,  they  agreed  among  themselves  that 
they  would  not  pay  out  the  small  silver  coin  received  in 
their  business  transactions,  consequently  about  twenty 
thousand  dollars  accumulated  in  their  hands,  and  when 
the  government  learned  that  it  was  unpopular,  and  again 
made  copper  a  legal  tender,  necessity  compelled  them  to 
dispose  of  it  in  some  way. 

Small  change  was  very  scarce  in  San  Antonio  at  that 
time,  especially  five-  and  ten-cent  pieces,  and  such  de- 
nominations readily  commanded  ten  per  cent,  premium. 
But  the  exorbitant  export  duties  exacted  by  the  govern- 
ment, amounting  to  a  total  of  ten  per  cent.,  was  prohib- 
itory through  legitimate  channels.  Therefore  certain 
persons  determined  to  avoid  the  imposition  by  smuggling 
this  money  across  the  Rio  Grande,  in  order  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  excellent  market  that  was  offered  them, 
and  in  that  way  the  greater  part  of  the  holdings  was 
transferred  to  the  United  States.  A  part  of  the  sum, 
amounting  to  about  eleven  hundred  dollars,  was  placed 
in  a  sack  of  beans,  and  shipped  with  similar  freight  on 
one  of  my  wagons. 

When  I  arrived  at  Mula,  the  officer  stationed  at  that 


168  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

place  inspected  my  freight  without  discovering  the 
money,  and  everything  was  found  to  be  correct.  But 
before  I  was  ready  to  move  on,  the  Alcalde  of  the  town 
interfered,  and  demanded  a  second  inspection.  Evi- 
dently he  acted  under  certain  information  received  from 
some  source,  because  he  did  not  hesitate  when  pointing 
out  the  sack,  which,  it  was  afterwards  proved,  contained 
the  money,  and  he  carried  it  away  with  him.  A  courier 
was  dispatched  to  Presidio  with  the  information,  and  I, 
with  the  entire  train,  was  detained  until  a  squadron  of 
mounted  custom-house  guards  arrived.  The  com- 
mander took  me  in  charge  and  escorted  my  train  to  Del 
Norte.  I  gave  bond  for  my  appearance  and  was  liber- 
ated until  the  following  day,  when  I  was  placed  on  trial 
under  an  accusation  of  smuggling  money  out  of  the 
country. 

Witnesses  testified  with  reference  to  the  facts,  and  as 
the  evidence  was  conclusive,  I  was  compelled  to  admit 
that  the  coin  was  found  among  my  freight  under  sus- 
picious circumstances;  but  I  proved  that  the  sack  of 
beans  in  which  it  was  placed  was  one  of  a  large  consign- 
ment sent  to  San  Antonio,  and  I  denied  knowing  the 
owners  or  the  parties  who  placed  it  there.  My  defense 
was  sufficient  to  show  that  I  was  innocent  of  conspiring 
to  defraud  the  government,  and  that  I  had  been  imposed 
upon  by  others  who  were  using  my  train  for  illicit  pur- 
poses; consequently  I  was  honorably  acquitted  and  the 
money  was  confiscated  by  the  government. 

The  laws  of  Mexico,  with  reference  to  smuggling,  and 
the  punishments  imposed,  were  extremely  severe,  but  they 
were  not  always  vigorously  executed.  The  penalty  for 
transporting  contraband  goods  required  that  the  entire 
train  and  cargo  should  be  confiscated.  Those  in  charge 
of  the  train  were  assumed  to  be  guilty  and  they  were 
liable  to  a  long  term  of  penal  servitude,  consequently 
the  risks  attached  to  the  business  were  very  great. 

The  evidence   in   my   case   put   me   in   a  pretty  tight 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  169 

place,  and  if  my  friends  had  not  stood  by  me  so  faith- 
fully and  firmly  I  would  not  have  been  so  fortunate  in 
escaping  the  penalties.  I  had  many  good  reasons  for 
congratulating  myself  on  the  result,  and  I  was  concerned 
as  much  for  the  interests  of  my  patrons  as  on  my  own 
account.  They  had  entrusted  to  my  care  one  hundred 
and  eighty  thousand  dollars,  in  Mexican  coin,  on  which 
the  ten  per  cent,  duty  had  been  paid,  and  it  was  all 
subject  to  confiscation  under  a  strict  construction  of  the 
law.  My  consignment  of  freight  was  also  valued  at  a 
large  sum  of  money,  and  my  individual  losses,  if  my 
train  had  been  taken  from  me,  would  have  ruined  me 
financially. 

The  energy  with  which  my  defense  was  conducted, 
and  the  earnest  efforts  of  my  friends,  who  brought  all 
their  influence  to  bear  in  favor  of  my  interests,  was  all 
that  saved  me  from  the  penalties  of  the  law.  The  court 
was  persuaded  to  consider  my  case  in  a  favorable  light, 
and  after  my  acquittal  the  government  officials  were  lib- 
eral in  their  exactions,  and  courteous  treatment  was 
shown  me,  especially  by  Henrico  Peiia,  who  was  in 
charge  of  the  custom-house,  from  whom  I  received  an 
unusually  lenient  inspection  when  passing  me  through 
his  department.  I  became  better  acquainted  with  him 
afterwards,  and  I  had  many  good  reasons  for  esteeming 
him  as  one  of  my  most  intimate  friends. 

A  few  days  after  my  release  from  custody  I  crossed 
the  Rio  Grande,  passed  the  United  States  custom-house 
after  a  satisfactory  inspection  by  its  officials,  and 
camped  the  same  day  twelve  miles  beyond  the  river. 
That  night  James  Clark,  who  was  then  in  charge  of  the 
American  custom-house  in  Presidio  del  Norte,  joined 
us  with  a  party  consisting  of  his  wife,  two  young  ladies, 
Hugh  Kelly,  and  an  escort  of  six  men  on  horseback. 
They  were  traveling  in  an  ambulance,  and  they  had 
come  out  for  a  frolic.  I  made  them  welcome  in  my  en- 
campment, and  after  supper  we  decided  to  have  a  dance, 


170  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

for  which  purpose  several  wagon  sheets  were  spread  on 
the  ground  inside  the  corral  that  was  made  by  the  sur- 
rounding wagons.  The  Loza  family,  representing  sev- 
eral persons,  were  traveling  with  me  to  their  home,  which 
is  at  926  San  Fernando  Street,  in  San  Antonio.  Prof. 
Manuel  Manso  and  his  orchestra  troop,  comprising  sev- 
eral members,  also  from  Chihuahua,  were  with  our  party, 
and  they  furnished  music  for  the  occasion. 

The  music,  from  stringed  instruments,  was  excellent, 
and  as  the  wagon  sheets  on  the  level,  hard  ground  fur- 
nished a  splendid  surface  for  the  dancers,  they  enjoyed 
themselves  to  the  utmost,  until  the  caporal  drove  in  the 
herd  to  be  hitched,  as  day  was  dawning,  and  brought 
our  pleasures  to  an  end.  Nothing  similar  to  our  frolic 
on  that  occasion  was  ever  seen  in  that  wild  region,  and, 
probably,  its  like  will  never  be  witnessed  again,  as  the 
wilderness,  perhaps,  cannot  be  greatly  improved.  Every- 
one had  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  and  their 
pleasure  found  utterance  in  expressions  of  delight  after 
it  was  brought  to  a  close.  The  event  might  be  termed 
a  swell  affair,  because  it  was  attended  by  the  best  people 
in  the  country,  and  though  it  lacked  many  accessories  of 
civilization,  the  picturesque  surroundings  compensated 
for  the  deficiencies.  After  breakfasting  with  us,  Mr. 
Clark  and  his  party  returned  through  the  uninhabited 
country  to  their  homes. 

Mr.  James  Clark,  who  now  resides  in  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, was  familiar  with  all  the  facts  relating  to  my  ar- 
rest in  Mexico,  and  he  amused  himself  later  at  my  ex- 
pense, when  among  my  friends  in  San  Antonio,  by  tell- 
ing them  about  the  supper  he  ate  in  my  camp,  and  the 
beans  that  were  served  as  the  principal  dish,  in  which 
five-  and  ten-cent  pieces  were  found  with  every  mouthful. 
The  joke  became  current,  and  its  meaning  was  under- 
stood, but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  its  interpretation 
would  place  me  in  rather  an  unfavorable  light  in  Mexico. 

The  pleasures  we  participated  in  and  which  have  been 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  171 

so  briefly  described,  were  not  confined  to  the  occasion. 
At  Fort  Stockton  we  were  joined  by  Thomas  Nelson,  a 
worthy  civil  engineer,  who  now  resides  in  San  Antonio, 
and  Pete  Johnson,  a  well-known  merchant  at  that  time 
at  the  fort.  They  were  jolly  fellows,  who  could  make 
themselves  welcome  anywhere,  and  such  men  always  turn 
themselves  loose  when  in  camp.  We  always  selected  a 
camping  place  with  a  level  space  suitable  for  dancing, 
and  every  night  the  canvas  was  spread  inside  the  corral, 
which  was  illuminated  by  the  light  of  candles  placed  on 
the  wagon  wheels,  and  we  danced,  to  the  sweet  music  dis- 
coursed by  Manso's  fine  orchestra,  to  the  limit  of  en- 
durance. The  frolics  were  always  full  of  fun,  but  Christ- 
mas and  New  Year's  nights  which  we  spent  on  that  trip 
were  both  unusually  lively,  and  those  who  are  alive  re- 
call them  as  pleasant  memories. 

The  journey  was  agreeable  throughout,  and  nothing 
of  a  serious  nature  occurred  to  mar  its  pleasures,  except 
my  trouble  with  the  Mexican  custom-house  officials, 
which  was  brought  about  by  a  traitor  in  my  employ. 
This  information  was  communicated  by  a  reliable  per- 
son, who  was  conversant  with  the  facts,  after  I  had 
pledged  myself  to  secrecy  on  the  subject.  Until  then 
I  did  not  know  who  the  informer  was,  because  he  did  not 
appear  at  the  trial,  and  only  the  Alcalde  with  the  sack 
of  beans,  with  the  money  inside,  appeared  against  me  in 
court.  I  was  told  that  the  rascal  discovered  the  money, 
and  after  marking  the  sack,  he  notified  the  Alcalde,  who 
re-inspected  my  goods. 

I  had  allowed  him  to  return  with  me  to  Texas  as  a 
favor,  and  I  would  not  dismiss  him,  but  his  treachery  was 
suspected  by  the  men  in  my  train,  and  if  I  had  not 
protected  him  it  is  doubtful  if  he  would  have  reached  his 
destination.  I  had  promised  not  to  betray  his  guilt,  and 
I  kept  my  pledge,  although  I  felt  inclined  to  punish 
him  in  some  way,  but  I  never  did  him  any  harm. 


CHAPTER    XIX 

I  WAS  often  accompanied  on  the  long,  tedious  journey 
to  Chihuahua  by  one  or  more  friends,  and  their  com- 
panionship was  always  appreciated.  Business  matters 
forced  some  of  them  to  make  tlje  trip,  and  others  made 
it  with  a  desire  to  see  the  country,  but,  generally,  their 
experiences  did  not  tempt  them  to  repeat  the  venture. 
Among  them  were  Messrs.  Gus  Mauermann,  San  An- 
tonio's former  Chief  of  Police ;  Ernest  Paschal,  Fred  Mil- 
ler, Tom  Nelson,  Britt,  Guinn,  Allen,  Henry  Laager,  and 
Judge  Netterville  Devine.  These  intimate  friends  of 
that  period  are  still  alive  and  any  of  them  will  sustain 
the  truthfulness  of  my  statements.  The  last  named  had 
often  expressed  a  wish  to  travel  over  the  route  with  me, 
and,  in  1874,  when  he  learned  that  I  intended  to  return 
through  the  buffalo  country,  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
Concho,  where  these  animals  roamed  in  countless  num- 
bers, he  arranged  to  go  along. 

I  always  traveled  in  an  ambulance  and  otherwise  pro- 
vided for  my  comfort  on  such  journeys,  consequently 
Judge  Devine  had  no  hardships  to  encounter  in  his 
jaunt  through  a  wild  and  rugged  country.  .The  pros- 
pects of  sport,  variety  and  adventure  were  the  tempta- 
tions that  influenced  him  to  go,  and  I  determined  to  do 
all  I  could  to  have  him  realize  his  expectations.  He 
joined  us  on  Nueces  Creek,  west  of  San  Antonio,  on  my 
usual  route  with  a  train  of  fourteen  wagons  loaded  with 
freight  for  Mexico,  and  he  was  a  pleasant  addition  to 
my  company,  which  consisted  of  Messrs.  Jack  Berry  and 
Henry  Vonflie,  who  are  now  well-to-do  ranchmen  and 
farmers  near  Devine  station  on  Briar  Branch  in  Medina 
County. 

172 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  175 

Beyond  Fort  Clark  an  American,  whose  name  was 
James,  stopped  at  my  camp  and  made  himself  known  to 
me.  He  stabbed  and  killed  a  man  when  I  was  loading 
my  wagons  in  Luling,  and  it  was  approved  by  public 
opinion  as  a  justifiable  homicide.  The  assistance  he 
received  from  people  in  Luling  enabled  him  to  escape 
the  clutches  of  the  law,  and  he  was  then  traveling  on 
foot  towards  Mexico,  which  was  a  place  of  refuge  for 
all  such  fugitives. 

I  was  acquainted  with  the  particulars  connected  with 
the  tragedy  and  my  sympathies  disposed  me  to  help  him 
in  his  troubles.  I  made  him  a  present  of  a  good  horse 
and  saddle,  and  Judge  Devine  gave  him  his  Winchester 
rifle,  without  considering  his  own  necessities.  He  ought 
to  have  felt  grateful  when  he  parted  from  us  that  night, 
and  I  suppose  he  did,  but  we  never  heard  from  him 
afterwards,  nor  do  I  know  what  became  of  him. 

We  continued  our  journey  westward  and  arrived  at 
Fort  Davis  in  the  morning  and  camped  until  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  When  we  resumed  our  journey,  to 
make  the  sixty-mile  drive  to  the  next  watering-place, 
Judge  Devine  decided  that  he  would  remain  a  while 
longer  with  his  friends  residing  at  the  post,  with  the 
expressed  intention  of  overtaking  us  before  night,  and 
I  made  no  objection  to  his  doing  so. 

He  did  not  leave  the  fort  until  the  next  day,  or  about 
twenty-four  hours  after  the  train  left  there,  and  he  rode 
hard  until  two  o'clock  that  night,  when  he  arrived  in 
camp.  In  the  meantime  I  had  become  anxious  for  his 
safety  on  account  of  Indians,  and  my  uneasiness  kept 
me  awake.  I  heard  him  whistling  as  he  approached,  but 
there  was  no  tune  to  his  music,  and  evidently  he  was  in 
a  disturbed  state  of  mind  on  account  of  not  seeing  the 
wagons,  or  perhaps  the  silence  of  the  wilderness  made 
him  think  of  the  dangers.  It  made  me  think  of  my 
boyish  experiences  in  dark  and  lonely  places  and  the 
similar  noises  I  made  to  keep  up  my  courage.  He  was 


174  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

in  camp  before  he  realized  the  fact,  and  I  scolded  him 
severely  for  his  imprudence  that  had  caused  me  so  much 
worry,  at  the  same  time  telling  him  exactly  what  I 
thought  on  the  subject,  but  he  didn't  seem  to  consider 
that  it  was  a  serious  matter.  Many  things  afterwards 
happened  on  the  trip  that  I  do  not  care  to  mention, 
because  those  involved  might  not  like  to  see  an  account 
of  their  escapades  in  print,  but  the  details  would  be  en- 
tertaining. 

We  reached  our  destination  within  a  reasonable  time 
and  found  the  people  in  Chihuahua  very  much  interested 
in  the  preparations  that  were  being  made  for  a  grand 
masquerade  ball  which  was  to  be  given  by  Governor  Ter- 
razas.  Shortly  after  our  arrival  Judge  Devine  and 
myself  received  invitations,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
suitable  disguises  were  procured  in  which  we  appeared 
at  the  festival.  All  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  city 
and  many  foreign  visitors  were  present  and  participated 
in  the  pleasures  without  restraint.  It  was  a  brilliant 
entertainment  throughout,  including  its  lavish  refresh- 
ments, and  it  was  an  occasion  that  the  guests  could 
always  recall  with  pleasure. 

Among  those  in  attendance  was  Dr.  Frank  Paschal, 
a  brother  of  ex-Mayor  George  Paschal,  of  San  Antonio, 
who  had  earned  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  physician 
and  surgeon  in  Chihuahua,  where  he  was  also  highly  es- 
teemed by  all  classes  for  his  talents  and  many  excellent 
qualities  that  distinguish  a  man  and  win  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow  creatures.  They  were  natural  to  him,  but 
he  was  indebted  to  his  amiable  wife  for  much  of  his 
popularity  on  account  of  her  social  attainments,  that  at- 
tracted the  wealthy,  and  her  charities,  which,  when 
added  to  his  gratuitous  practice,  endeared  them  both 
to  the  poorer  classes. 

These  statements  will  justify  me  in  noticing  a  few  in- 
cidents in  his  life  as  I  recall  them,  because  the  facts  are 
not  generally  known  in  his  birthplace,  where  he  has  since 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  175 

become  prominent.  The  information  is  of  local  interest, 
otherwise,  on  account  of  his  having  been  professionally 
associated  with  Dr.  Cupples,  who  was  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  popular  physicians  and  surgeons  in  San  An- 
tonio when  Dr.  Paschal  commenced  his  practice.  He 
was  then  about  twenty-two  years  of  age  and  had  only 
recently  returned  from  the  university  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  his  profession.  His  subordinate  position  did  not 
suit  his  ambitious  temperament,  consequently  he  looked 
abroad  for  a  suitable  location  where  he  would  encounter 
less  opposition  in  his  profession,  and  he  selected  Chihua- 
hua, as  the  most  desirable.  His  early  childhood  was 
passed  in  Monterey  with  his  parents,  and  he  was  not 
only  familiar  with  Mexico  and  the  customs  of  its  peo- 
ple, but  spoke  the  Spanish  language  fluently. 

He  received  a  friendly  welcome  from  the  people  among 
whom  he  cast  his  lot,  and  for  two  years  practiced  his 
profession  successfully  before  he  again  returned  to  San 
Antonio.  The  visit  was  made  with  a  single  purpose  in 
view,  and  that  was  accomplished  when  he  married  Miss 
Lady  Napier.  Their  bridal  trip  was  made  in  the  stage 
that  was  then  running  from  San  Antonio  by  way  of 
Fort  Concho  and  Horse-head  Crossing  to  Fort  Davis, 
where  an  ambulance  with  four  mules  and  a  driver  awaited 
them,  in  charge  of  an  escort,  in  which  they  were  con- 
veyed to  Chihuahua. 

A  warm  reception  was  extended  to  the  newly  married 
couple  by  the  best  people  in  the  city,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  young  wife  was  loved  and  admired  by  a  large 
circle  of  acquaintances.  The  doctor  soon  became  the 
leading  physician,  with  an  extensive  and  lucrative  prac- 
tice, but  his  services  were  not  withheld  from  the  poor, 
and  he  was  greatly  assisted  in  his  charitable  attentions 
by  Mrs.  Paschal,  who  devoted  much  of  her  time  to  such 
work.  Many  indigent  people  were  relieved  by  his  skill 
as  a  surgeon,  and  quantities  of  medicine  were  generously 
distributed  to  them  free  of  cost. 


176  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

When  Dr.  Paschal  and  his  wife  removed  from  Chihua- 
hua to  San  Antonio,  in  1881,  his  departure  was  greatly 
regretted  by  all  classes,  but  such  men  are  always  a  loss 
to  any  community.  As  an  evidence  of  the  appreciation 
in  which  he  was  held,  he  was  often  called  to  Chihuahua 
to  perform  difficult  surgical  operations  or  for  consulta- 
tion in  serious  cases  of  illness,  until  about  five  years  ago, 
but  since  then  he  has  been  unable  to  absent  himself  from 
San  Antonio  on  account  of  his  large  practice. 

My  stay  in  Chihuahua  was  not  extended  beyond  the 
time  necessary  to  load  my  wagons  with  freight  destined 
for  Texas,  consisting  of  copper,  hides,  and  a  large 
amount  of  Mexican  silver  coin.  We  returned  via  Pre- 
sidio del  Norte  to  Horse-head  Crossing  on  the  Pecos 
River,  where  we  diverged  towards  Fort  Concho,  in  com- 
pliance with  my  promise  to  Judge  Devine  to  take  him 
to  the  buffalo  country,  which  was  many  miles  north  of 
my  usual  route. 

The  plains  and  valleys  that  are  traversed  by  the  head- 
waters of  the  Concho  River  and  its  tributaries  were  then 
occupied  by  droves  of  buffalo  whose  numbers  could  not 
be  computed  with  certainty.  They  seemed  to  be  innu- 
merable when  we  entered  that  region  and  passed  through 
the  herds  which  grazed  quietly  on  all  sides  far  into  the 
distance,  until  they  moved  at  certain  hours  toward  the 
river  to  quench  their  thirst.  Then  they  congregated 
from  all  points  and  formed  masses  which  sometimes  com- 
pelled the  train  to  stop  until  they  passed.  On  such  occa- 
sions the  drivers  shot  into  them  and  many  were  uselessly 
killed  or  wounded,  without  any  reason  to  justify  their 
cruelty. 

There  was  no  trouble  to  kill  buffalo  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, and  of  course  the  wanton  destruction  of 
animal  life  could  offer  no  pleasure  to  a  sportsman,  con- 
sequently the  gentlemen  in  my  party  were  content  to 
satiate  their  curiosity  by  admiring  the  wonderful  sight. 
But  soon  afterwards  Netterville  Devine  passed  through 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  177 

an  exciting  experience  when  stalking  buffalo,  in  which  he 
had  a  narrow  escape  from  Indians.  He  was  walking 
ahead  of  the  wagons  when  he  saw  a  small  herd  of  buf- 
falo that  tempted  him  to  try  a  shot  at  them.  He  ap- 
proached them  cautiously  and  was  creeping  within  range 
when  luckily  he  looked  behind  and  saw  several  Indians 
stealthily  approaching  him  in  the  distance.  He  realized 
at  once  that  the  hunter  was  being  hunted,  and  as  he 
disliked  the  thought  of  figuring  as  game  for  Comanche 
sportsmen  who  coveted  his  scalp,  he  abandoned  his  game 
before  they  were  disturbed,  and  made  a  hasty  retreat. 
Fortunately  he  had  a  good  start,  and  he  improved  the 
time  by  running  at  full  speed  on  a  bee-line  until  he 
reached  the  train. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Devine,  in  company  with  Henry 
Vonflie  and  Jack  Berry,  gave  variety  to  the  murderous 
sport,  after  it  became  monotonous,  by  roping  and  neck- 
ing together  a  pair  of  three-year-old  buffalo,  which, 
when  released,  joined  the  herd  in  that  condition.  We 
had  an  abundance  of  meat,  and  the  men  found  more 
amusement  in  mastering  the  wild  beasts  than  in  slaying 
them  ruthlessly  for  no  purpose.  They  might  have  been 
driven  into  camp  and  butchered  if  the  parties  had  been 
disposed  to  do  so,  in  the  same  way  that  Mr.  Vonflie  did 
a  two-year-old  buffalo  about  two  years  afterwards  in 
that  region,  where  it  was  killed  by  the  soldiers  who  were 
escorting  my  train  from  Fort  Stockton  to  San  Antonio. 

The  range  of  the  American  buffalo  or  bison  in  Texas 
did  not  extend  very  far  south  of  the  Concho  River,  in 
1874*,  and  they  were  only  found  in  great  numbers  about 
fifty  miles  above  that  limit.  They  were  not  molested  in 
that  region  to  any  great  extent  until  afterwards,  on  ac- 
count of  the  risk  of  encountering  Comanche  Indians,  who 
occasionally  hunted  in  that  region  in  defiance  of  the 
United  States  troops  which  garrisoned  Fort  Concho. 
But  their  presence  acted  as  a  restraint,  consequently  the 
noble  animals  were  partially  protected  in  an  area  about 


178  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

thirty  miles  wide,  where  they  were  in  the  greatest  num- 
bers. 

Buffalo  were  plentiful  in  that  country  until  1877, 
when  hunters  began  to  kill  them  for  their  hides,  and 
thousands  were  destroyed  by  organized  bodies  of  men  for 
that  object  alone.  The  Texas  &  Pacific,  the  Interna- 
tional, and  the  Southern  Pacific  railroads  had  then  ad- 
vanced far  enough  into  the  State  to  be  accessible,  and 
the  demand  for  the  hides  induced  unscrupulous  persons, 
including  many  foreigners,  to  engage  in  the  business. 
But  the  massacre  was  not  confined  to  Texas,  because  it 
was  greater  in  the  Northwest,  where  hundreds  of  men 
enlisted  in  the  barbarous  destruction  of  "  our  national 
animal "  when  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  penetrated 
the  plains  where  millions  roamed  at  will. 

Perhaps  the  percentage  of  merchantable  skins  (that 
were  placed  on  the  market  would  represent  only  a  frac- 
tion of  the  total  number  of  the  animals  that  were  killed 
and  which  no  one  can  estimate.  Thousands  were  slaugh- 
tered in  sport  or  for  their  hides,  and  perhaps  more 
escaped  to  die  from  wounds.  Sometimes  the  tongue  and 
other  choice  pieces  were  cut  out  and  the  carcass  fed  the 
wolves  and  buzzards  that  followed  in  their  trail. 

Before  the  work  of  extermination  was  complete  a  new 
industry  was  suggested  to  those  who  dealt  in  buffalo 
hides  and  those  who  saw  the  millions  of  pounds  of  bones 
that  lay  bleaching  on  the  plains.  When  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  they  had  a  commercial  value,  the  dismem- 
bered skeletons  were  gathered  in  piles  and  hauled  to  the 
nearest  railroads,  which  transported  them  to  the  East. 
The  first  person  in  Texas  who  appreciated  the  worth  of 
such  commodities  was  Mr.  Louis  Bergstrom,  a  brother 
of  Oscar  Bergstrom,  Esq.,  formerly  of  San  Antonio,  but 
now  a  prominent  lawyer  in  New  York  City,  whose  large 
practice  extends  into  Mexico.  Mr.  Louis  Bergstrom  is 
now  the  general  manager  of  the  Alamo  Dressed  Beef 
Company  of  San  Antonio,  and  he  engaged  largely  in 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  179 

the  business  of  collecting  them,  also  in  buying  buffalo 
hides.  He  sent  out  dozens  of  wagons  which  delivered  the 
bones  in  carload  lots  to  the  nearest  railroad  stations. 
Perhaps  a  larger  sum  was  realized  from  the  sale  of  bones 
by  the  parties  who  were  engaged  in  collecting  them  than 
from  the  total  number  of  more  valuable  hides  and  the 
quantities  of  dried  meat,  that  were  recognized  as  mer- 
chantable commodities. 

The  splendid  race  of  animals  is  now  represented  by 
about  two  thousand  individuals  all  told ;  and  about  half 
of  that  number  are  in  the  United  States.  The  Federal 
Government  has  control  of  several  herds  and  is  making 
efforts  to  revive  the  race  in  suitable  locations  on  the  na- 
tional reservations,  where  they  will  have  permanent 
homes. 

My  opinion  is  that  it  was  as  necessary  for  the  buffalo 
to  be  destroyed  as  it  was  that  the  Indians  should  be 
driven  out  of  the  country,  because  while  they  remained 
the  Indians  could  not  be  controlled,  and  the  range  was 
needed  for  domestic  cattle,  also  for  homes  of  thousands 
of  people  who  have  since  settled  the  country. 


CHAPTER    XX 

I  WAS  in  Chihuahua  again  in  the  spring  of  1875,  and 
while  there  was  told  that  several  years  before  a  large 
aerolite  had  fallen  on  the  ranch  of  Mr.  Henry  Mueller, 
near  San  Lorenzo,  about  ten  miles  from  the  city,  which 
was  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  massive  known  to  the 
scientific  world.  I  became  very  much  interested  in  the 
subject  and  decided  that  if  it  was  possible  to  secure  the 
stone  I  would  haul  it  to  Texas  and  place  it  on  exhibi- 
tion at  the  World's  Fair  in  Philadelphia. 

Legally,  the  meteorite  belonged  to  the  owner  of  the 
land  on  which  it  fell,  and  as  Mr.  Mueller  attached  no 
value  to  it,  personally,  he  agreed  to  let  me  have  it.  But 
in  the  meantime  the  Mexican  authorities  had  asserted  a 
claim,  based  on  the  assumption  that  as  it  came  from 
space  it  was  not  subject  to  individual  ownership,  conse- 
quently the  Republic  had  a  right  to  dispose  of  it  in  any 
way  it  pleased.  These  pretentions  were  not  disputed 
by  the  owners,  although  it  is  obvious  that  they  could 
not  have  been  sustained;  but  it  was  useless  for  me  to 
oppose  them,  and  I  determined  to  secure  it  from  the 
government  on  the  most  favorable  terms. 

The  decision  made  it  necessary  for  me  to  negotiate 
with  the  proper  officials,  and  after  I  explained  my  inten- 
tions they  graciously  condescended  to  allow  me  to  carry 
out  my  wishes  under  the  following  conditions,  to  which 
I  subscribed:  They  permitted  me  to  transport  the  me- 
teoric stone  out  of  the  country  free  of  export  duty  and 
to  the  Centennial  Exposition  buildings,  at  Philadelphia, 
at  my  own  expense;  but  they  required  Mr.  Mueller  and 
myself  to  give  a  bond  for  a  considerable  amount,  which 

180 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  181 

stipulated  that  the  stone  should  be  safely  returned  to 
Chihuahua  within  a  certain  time  without  cost  to  the 
government. 

The  meteorite  was  composed  of  solid  iron  and  weighed 
54*00  pounds.  It  was  shaped  like  a  turtle,  round  on  top 
and  flat  below.  It  measured  about  two  feet  through  its 
thickest  part  and  curved  to  the  edges,  where  it  meas- 
ured three  feet  wide  and  four  feet  long  across  the  bot- 
tom. Evidently  when  the  mass  of  metal  struck  the  earth 
it  was  soft  enough  to  be  flattened  by  the  impact  and 
retained  the  imprint  of  the  solid  rock  where  it  fell  among 
loose  stone  on  the  surface,  which  were  imbedded  in  the 
lower  part. 

This  visitant  from  another  world  was  not  very  at- 
tractive in  appearance,  but  I  was  fascinated  by  it  and 
thought  that  others  would  be  equally  impressed  when 
the  curiosity  was  placed  on  exhibition.  I  was  aware  that 
it  would  be  a  difficult  and  costly  undertaking,  but  I 
expected  to  consign  it  to  one  of  the  show  places  where 
sightseers  would  reimburse  me  for  my  trouble  and  out- 
lay. 

I  hauled  the  mass  of  iron  on  a  wagon  assigned  for 
that  purpose,  and  it  alone  made  a  heavy  load,  which 
strained  the  team  more  than  bulky  freight  would  have 
done,  because  it  was  dead  weight  in  the  bed  and  the 
wagon  had  no  swing.  The  other  wagons  were  loaded 
with  heavy  freight  in  the  bodies,  including  $200,000  in 
silver  coin,  and  a  bulky  top  weight  of  hides,  which  caused 
them  to  oscillate  with  a  motion  that  relieved  the  teams. 
At  Forts  Davis,  Stockton  and  Concho  the  aerolite  at- 
tracted great  attention  among  the  soldiers,  and  when  it 
arrived  in  San  Antonio  the  wagon  was  unhitched  and 
placed  in  the  rear  of  the  Veramendi  House,  which  was 
then  occupied  by  Mr.  Weber,  a  brother  of  Jacob  Weber, 
who  resides  on  North  Flores  Street,  where  it  was  viewed 
by  hundreds  during  the  two  weeks  it  was  there. 

The   only  incident  worth  noticing,  that   occurred   on 


182  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

the  trip,  happened  near  the  crossing  of  the  San  Saba 
River,  where  a  company  of  rangers  were  stationed  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Rufus  Perry.  About  the  time 
that  I  reached  their  camp  several  men  went  out  hunt- 
ing, and  a  short  time  afterwards  they  returned  with  the 
information  that  they  had  discovered  a  party  of  Indians. 
Captain  Perry,  with  the  greater  part  of  his  men,  was 
absent  on  a  scout,  but  it  happened  that  Major  Jones, 
who  commanded  all  the  State  Rangers  on  the  frontier 
and  was  then  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  had  arrived  in 
camp  a  short  time  before  the  news  was  reported.  He 
hastily  summoned  his  escort  together,  with  several  of 
Captain  Perry's  company,  and  quickly  proceeded  in 
search  of  the  Indians.  He  soon  overtook  them,  and  a 
battle  was  fought  in  which  three  Comanche  marauders 
were  killed  and  several  others  wounded,  but  no  casual- 
ties occurred  among  the  Texans. 

I  got  through  with  my  train  all  right,  but  the  me- 
teoric stone  caused  a  certain  amount  of  trouble,  and  the 
expense  was  considerable,  because  the  wagon  carried 
nothing  else.  The  others  brought  full  loads  of  freight, 
for  which  I  was  liberally  compensated,  but  the  most 
valuable  part  consisted  of  the  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  in  Mexican  silver  coin,  that  was  entrusted  to 
my  care.  The  sum  represented  the  first  considerable 
amount  of  money  that  was  ever  forwarded .  from  Chihua- 
hua to  Luling,  and  for  that  reason  the  fact  is  worthy 
of  record. 

Luling  was  then  a  new  town  that  had  sprung  up  in 
a  few  weeks  at  the  terminus  of  the  Galveston,  Harrisburg 
&  San  Antonio  Railroad,  and  the  population  was  com- 
posed of  all  sorts  of  people,  including  many  rough  char- 
acters who  were  capable  of  committing  any  crime.  In 
the  midst  of  such  surroundings  I  felt  a  natural  uneasi- 
ness, on  account  of  the  large  sum  of  money  that  re- 
mained on  my  wagons,  during  the  two  nights  and  a  day 
that  I  was  compelled  to  wait  for  a  train  on  which  to 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  183 

forward  it  to  its  destination.  I  guarded  it  continually 
until  Mr.  Dan  Price,  whb  is  now  Yoakum's  efficient 
Mayor,  witnessed  my  anxiety,  and  kindly  offered  me  his 
services.  I  gladly  accepted  his  valued  assistance  in 
watching  the  treasure,  which  was  rendered  until  it  was 
forwarded  to  the  consignees,  Messrs.  Heick  &  Helfrisch, 
of  Galveston. 

I  left  the  stone  in  Luling  with  instructions  to  send  it 
to  Philadelphia,  but  as  my  business  called  me  back  to 
Chihuahua  immediately,  I  was  unable  to  give  it  further 
attention.  It  was  publicly  exposed  with  the  Mexican 
exhibit  without  my  authority,  and  my  claim  was  ignored, 
as  if  the  contract  was  not  in  existence.  When  the  Cen- 
tennial Exhibition  closed  the  meteorite  was  donated  by 
Mexico  to  the  British  Museum.  The  opportunity  had 
passed  when  I  might  have  made  it  profitable,  and  I  was 
glad  to  be  relieved  of  the  expense  and  trouble  that  would 
otherwise  have  devolved  on  me  had  I  been  required  to 
comply  with  the  exactions  of  my  agreement. 

The  meteorite  was  my  property  under  the  contract 
until  I  was  released  from  my  bond,  and  I  have  never 
understood  why  it  was  taken  from  my  possession  and 
transferred  to  others  without  adequate  compensation. 
Justice  entitled  me  to  a  reimbursement  of  my  actual 
outlay  at  least,  and  such  generosity  at  my  expense  was 
inexcusable.  As  the  matter  now  stands,  individual  acts, 
backed  by  the  Mexican  government,  made  me  an  invol- 
untary contributor  to  science  contrary  to  my  expecta- 
tions ;  and  I  will  always  believe  that  I  have  a  claim 
resting  against  that  stone,  amounting  to  about  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars;  but  if  proper  credit  was  awarded 
for  my  services  I  might  be  willing  to  discharge  the  debt. 

When  I  think  about  the  great  number  of  lawless  men 
who  frequented  the  frontier  during  the  period  that  I  was 
engaged  in  the  business  of  staging  and  freighting,  and 
the  large  sums  of  money  I  transported  from  Mexico 
every  trip  through  to  Texas,  I  wonder  at  the  forbear- 


184.  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

ance  that  restrained  them  from  molesting  me.  They 
could  have  organized  a  sufficient  force  at  any  time,  and 
under  favorable  circumstances  they  might  have  captured 
and  plundered  my  train  with  impunity. 

The  only  occasion  that  such  an  attempt  occurred  was 
in  1875,  when  I  was  returning  from  Chihuahua  with  a 
valuable  lot  of  freight  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  silver  coin.  We  had  crossed  the  Rio 
Grande,  at  Presidio  del  Norte,  after  passing  through  a 
customs-house  inspection,  and  my  train  encamped  that 
night  eighteen  miles  east  of  the  river  in  a  dry  and  narrow 
canon,  across  which  the  road  passed,  where  it  was  not 
more  than  300  yards  in  width.  Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances it  was  not  a  desirable  camping  place,  but  it  was 
the  best  place  I  could  find  and  I  was  not  apprehensive 
of  danger. 

The  usual  precautions  were  observed  for  our  protec- 
tion by  corralling  the  wagons,  and  the  customary  guard 
was  selected  to  watch  over  the  camp;  the  mules  were 
grazing  on  a  mountain-side  towards  the  west  end  of  the 
canon  under  the  watchful  care  of  the  caporal  and  his 
herders,  and  before  the  evening  shadows  closed  around 
us  the  noises  that  had  disturbed  the  silence  of  the  wilder- 
ness were  hushed  and  all  was  quiet  except  a  tingling  bell 
with  the  herd  that  proclaimed  our  presence. 

The  calm  that  surrounded  us  was  not  interrupted  until 
some  time  after  Henry  Vonflie  and  his  men,  who  were 
first  on  guard,  had  retired.  I  and  Timps,  a  young  Amer- 
ican, and  three  Mexicans,  had  relieved  him,  but  I  cannot 
recall  the  hour  that  we  went  on  post.  We  were  seated 
outside  of  the  corral  near  the  two  wagons  that  were 
loaded  with  money,  when  a  shot  was  fired  close  to  the 
train.  Immediately  afterwards  we  heard  the  tramp  of 
men  running  over  loose  rock  from  the  east.  We  knew 
then  that  an  attack  was  being  made  on  the  train  and 
instant  preparations  were  made  to  meet  them.  I  fired 
the  first  shot  a  few  moments  before  my  companions  com- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  185 

menced  firing,  and  our  assailants  answered  with  a  volley 
which  brought  Mr.  Vonflie  and  his  men  to  our  assistance 
and  doubled  our  force.  We  were  armed  with  Winchester 
rifles  and  many  shots  were  fired  on  both  sides  before  our 
party  of  twelve  men  drove  the  enemy  away. 

The  fight  only  lasted  a  few  minutes,  scarcely  long 
enough  for  the  wagon-master,  who  was  with  the  cap- 
oral,  and  his  men  to  drive  the  herd  of  mules  into  the 
corral  before  it  was  over.  They  were  kept  there  and 
vigilance  was  observed  until  morning,  because  the  excite- 
ment had  banished  sleep,  and,  besides,  we  expected  that 
the  attack  would  be  renewed,  but  nothing  unusual  took 
place. 

Early  the  following  morning  we  visited  the  position 
that  our  foes  had  occupied  in  the  skirmish,  and  also 
where  their  horses  were  tied,  with  the  expectation  of  find- 
ing a  few  gory  corpses,  but  our  valor  was  poorly  re- 
warded, because  we  could  not  find  a  drop  of  blood  nor 
could  we  discover  that  our  adversaries  had  suffered  the 
slightest  injury  from  our  storm  of  lead.  After  making 
a  diligent  search  we  collected  a  couple  of  old  hats,  a 
gourd  of  water,  and  a  few  trifles  of  less  value  as  trophies 
of  our  victory. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  our  assailants  numbered 
altogether  about  forty  cut-throats  who  knew  that  I  was 
carrying  a  large  amount  of  money  and  they  had  planned 
to  rob  my  train.  They  had  arranged  to  approach  my 
camp  through  the  canon  in  two  equal  parties  from  the 
east  and  the  west,  with  the  design  of  making  a  simul- 
taneous attack  on  foot  when  a  signal  gun  was  fired  by 
a  spy  who  was  to  have  entered  the  corral  secretly.  But 
their  plans  were  disarranged  by  the  detachment  which 
was  to  have  advanced  from  the  west,  that  was  delayed 
by  coming  in  contact  with  the  herders  and  the  mules 
that  were  grazing  in  that  direction.  Fearing  detection, 
they  used  precautions  which  prevented  them  from  mak- 
ing an  assault  on  the  west  side  when  the  signal  shot 


186  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

was  fired,  consequently  they  did  not  participate  in  it 
and  we  did  not  see  them  at  all. 

A  few  months  later  several  of  the  men  who  took  part 
in  the  little  skirmish  were  pointed  out  to  me,  but  I  could 
not  prove  anything  against  them,  and  as  it  was  not  safe 
to  molest  them  during  those  rough  times  in  that  part  of 
the  country  I  thought  it  was  best  to  leave  them  alone, 
and  I  also  avoided  making  any  allusion  to  the  subject. 

The  possibility  of  a  second  attack  being  made  by  the 
robbers  was  discussed,  and  we  were  led  to  view  our  sur- 
roundings with  considerable  apprehension;  but  we  con- 
tinued our  journey  with  resolute  spirits,  because  there 
was  no  other  alternative  than  to  move  forward.  The 
large  amount  of  money  that  I  carried  would  have 
tempted  the  cupidity  of  thieves  under  any  circumstances, 
and  it  was  scarcely  possible  that  the  reckless  scoundrels 
would  abandon  the  booty  they  had  hoped  to  secure  with- 
out making  another  effort. 

These  and  other  similar  impressions  led  us  to  antici- 
pate an  ambuscade,  and  that  day,  when  about  to  start 
from  where  we  stopped  for  dinner,  about  twelve  miles 
west  of  Davis'  ranch,  a  signal  of  alarm  was  given.  My 
guard,  who  was  stationed  on  a  hill  near  by,  reported 
that  he  saw  about  thirty  men  go  into  the  high  grass 
near  a  ravine  at  the  place  where  we  would  have  to  cross, 
and  it  was  his  opinion  that  they  had  planned  an  am- 
bush for  our  benefit. 

We  accepted  the  report  in  good  faith,  and  naturally 
inferred  that  they  were  the  same  robbers  who  had  at- 
tacked us  the  night  before.  Henry  Vonflie  and  myself 
took  ten  men  and  cautiously  ascended  the  hill,  with  the 
intention  of  making  the  necessary  observations.  The 
guard  pointed  out  the  place,  about  six  hundred  yards 
distant,  where  he  had  seen  the  men  conceal  themselves, 
and  the  truth  of  his  statement  was  partially  confirmed 
when  we  saw  several  men  in  the  tall  grass  that  was 
about  waist-high. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  187 

We  decided  at  once  that  our  surmises  were  correct, 
and  congratulated  ourselves  that  we  had  anticipated  the 
highwaymen's  movements.  There  was  no  need  of  fur- 
ther investigation,  and  we  commenced  firing  at  those  in 
the  grass  with  a  deadly  purpose.  We  were  all  armed 
with  long-range  guns  that  were  capable  of  doing  exe- 
cution at  a  greater  distance,  and  we  knew  that  our  bul- 
lets reached  them,  but  they  made  no  response.  We  con- 
cluded that  we  were  either  beyond  the  range  of  their 
guns  or  else  they  were  trying  to  conceal  their  position, 
until  we  had  fired  about  fifty  shots.  We  then  saw  a  man 
signaling  to  us  by  waving  his  hat,  from  a  hilltop  off  to 
one  side,  and  I  ordered  my  men  to  cease  firing. 

Evidently  we  had  made  a  mistake,  and  as  the  man 
approached  I  advanced  to  meet  him.  When  we  met  I 
recognized  an  old  frontier  settler  I  had  known  a  long 
time,  whose  name  was  Landrum,  who  had  lived  on  the 
frontier  about  a  quarter  of  a  century.  In  answer  to 
my  inquiries  he  explained  that  he  was  traveling  with 
several  men  and  had  stopped  to  rest  near  the  ravine  a 
short  time  before,  or  about  the  time  the  guard  saw  them. 
When  we  began  to  shoot  and  the  bullets  struck  among 
them  he  realized  that  his  party  was  the  target  and  that 
they  were  in  great  danger.  To  avoid  being  killed  they 
threw  themselves  on  the  ground  and  crawled  up  the  ra- 
vine some  distance  until  they  were  out  of  range,  and  he 
ascended  the  hill  where  he  could  see  the  wagons,  which 
he  recognized.  He  then  made  his  presence  known  by 
signaling  to  us,  with  the  intention  of  correcting  the 
erroneous  opinion  we  entertained  with  regard  to  them. 


CHAPTER    XXI 

ON  my  way  to  Chihuahua,  in  1876,  with  the  train 
loaded  with  freight  received  at  Luting,  it  was  necessary 
for  me  to  diverge  from  my  usual  route  at  Fort  Davis 
and  travel  the  road  leading  to  El  Paso.  The  principal 
points  of  interest  on  that  route  were  Barrel  Springs, 
Eagle  Springs,  Van  Horn's  Wells,  Fort  Quitman,  San 
Elizaria  and  Ysleta;  but  the  town  of  San  Elizaria  was 
the  only  place  of  any  importance,  and  it  had  only  about 
four  thousand  inhabitants.  About  seventy-five  years 
ago  the  little  town,  which  is  situated  on  an  elevation  in 
the  valley,  was  in  Mexico,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  until  the  melting  of  snow  on  the  mountain  above 
caused  a  great  overflow  that  covered  the  valley,  which, 
at  that  point,  was  several  miles  in  width.  When  the 
water  subsided  the  river  was  confined  to  a  new  and  per- 
manent channel  west  of  the  town,  and  the  inhabitants 
were  made  to  realize  that  their  possessions  were  in  Texas. 
It  is  claimed  that  the  river  cut  off  about  ten  thousand 
acres  from  Mexico,  and  that  the  loss  of  territory  was 
the  cause  of  considerable  controversy  between  the  two 
republics  before  it  was  finally  settled  according  to  inter- 
national laws  governing  in  such  cases.  Along  the  banks 
of  what  was  called  the  old  river  the  dead  trunks  of  im- 
mense cottonwood  trees  could  be  seen,  but  the  bed 
through  which  the  water  formerly  flowed  was  dry.  In 
fact,  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  itself  was  sometimes  des- 
titute of  water,  and  I  have  traveled  up  the  river-bed  on 
horseback  for  miles.  In  the  summer  only,  when  the  snow 
melts  in  the  mountains,  there  is  a  full  flow  of  water,  and 
occasionally  destructive  floods  similar  to  that  which 

188 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  189 

caused  the  cut-off  of  San  Elizaria  inflicted  considerable 
damage  in  the  valleys  along  the  river's  course,  but  it  is 
expected  that  when  reservoirs  are  completed  above,  that 
such  overflows  will  be  extremely  rare. 

The  importance  of  the  great  irrigation  schemes  that 
are  proposed  for  the  Rio  Grande  valley  seems  to  be  ap- 
preciated, and  they  will  not  only  be  of  incalculable  ben- 
efit to  that  region,  but  help  to  make  El  Paso  the  great 
commercial  center  of  the  middle  Southwest. 

When  I  first  knew  El  Paso  it  was  a  straggling  town 
of  a  few  hundred  inhabitants,  and  at  the  time  that 
Charley  Howard  killed  Louis  Cardise  it  was  a  rough 
frontier  place.  The  tragedy  occurred  when  I  stopped 
there  on  this  trip,  and  I  will  state  my  recollections  with 
reference  to  the  causes  that  led  to  the  encounter.  They 
differ  somewhat  from  other  versions  of  the  story  that 
have  been  published,  but  I  believe  my  recollections  of  the 
original  trouble  are  correct. 

Forty  miles  northeast  from  El  Paso  there  is  a  lake 
that  is  strongly  impregnated  with  salt  which  the  sun 
evaporates  continually.  It  was  known  throughout  the 
northern  part  of  Mexico  and  it  supplied  all  that  region 
with  salt.  Numerous  carts  were  constantly  engaged  in 
hauling  the  salt  into.  Mexico,  where  it  found  a  ready 
market  at  $12  a  fanega  of  240  pounds,  and  at  that 
price  it  was  remunerative. 

The  salt  at  the  lake  had  been  free  to  the  people  from 
time  immemorial,  and  it  could  be  had  for  the  labor  of 
gathering,  until  Mr.  Cardise,  who  was  a  government  mail 
contractor,  began  to  collect  a  revenue  of  $2.50  on  each 
cartload  that  was  taken  away  from  the  lake,  which  was 
paid  reluctantly.  The  lake  was  on  vacant  land,  which 
was  a  part  of  the  public  domain  belonging  to  Texas,  and 
Cardise  never  acquired  any  title  in  the  property,  conse- 
quently his  charges  were  illegal  and  he  had  no  authority 
to  make  them;  but  the  people  submitted  to  the  imposi- 
tion rather  than  be  deprived  of  the  necessity. 


190  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Subsequently,  when  these  facts  became  known  to  Mr. 
George  P.  Zimpleman,  of  Austin,  Texas,  he  was  influ- 
enced to  locate  the  land  on  which  the  lake  was  situated, 
and  he  placed  ijt  in  charge  of  Mr.  Howard,  his  son-in- 
law,  whose  home  was  in  El  Paso.  Mr.  Cardise  was  en- 
joined from  levying  further  exactions  for  salt,  and  the 
collections  were  made  by  Mr.  Howard.  The  ill  feelings 
produced  by  these  transactions  grew  into  bitter  enmity, 
and  as  both  men  were  popular,  they  exercised  their  in- 
fluence to  the  prejudice  of  each  other  until  the  feeling 
developed  into  an  open  feud.  Both  men  were  fearless, 
and  it  was  expected  that  the  quarrel  would  end  in  blood- 
shed, when  Howard  forced  the  issue  by  looking  up  Car- 
dise and  killing  him  before  he  could  offer  any  resistance. 

The  death  of  Cardise  exasperated  his  Mexican  friends 
on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  as  many  of  them  were  de- 
voted to  his  interests  when  alive,  they  organized  a  party 
with  the  intention  of  wreaking  their  vengeance  on  his 
slayer.  The  attack  was  made  upon  Howard  and  his 
friends  in  a  small  house  containing  three  rooms,  in  which 
they  took  refuge,  where  they  stood  their  assailants  off 
for  three  days,  but  finally  they  were  all  killed. 

Before  I  started  for  Chihuahua,  the  Galveston,  Harris- 
burg  &  San  Antonio  Railway  Company  was  rushing  its 
track  towards  San  Antonio,  which  was  designated  in  its 
charter  as  the  terminal  point,  and  the  belief  was  gen- 
erally entertained  that  the  road  would  not  be  extended 
beyond  that  city  for  many  years.  Naturally  I  was  of 
the  same  opinion,  because  I  was  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  country  northward  and  to  the  western  borders 
of  the  State,  and  I  could  not  believe  in  the  possibility 
of  a  locomotive  marking  its  course  through  that  unin- 
habited region  with  its  smoke,  or  that  its  whistle  would 
startle  its  silent  wastes.  Even  if  it  was  practicable  to 
build  a  railroad  to  El  Paso,  many  persons  thought,  and 
I  among  them,  that  the  Indians  would  destroy  the  track 
as  fast  as  it  was  built  and  cause  it  to  be  abandoned. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  191 

Years  afterwards,  when  I  saw  the  wonderful  work  that 
had  been  accomplished  under  the  direction  of  skillful  en- 
gineers, I  recalled  my  mistaken  ideas  on  the  subject. 
Though  it  broke  up  my  business  I  could  appreciate  the 
benefits  that  were  conferred  on  the  country  when  the 
road  was  completed.  It  has  introduced  civilization,  and 
a  large  area  of  the  desolate  wilderness  with  which  I  was 
so  long  familiar  has  become  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
regions  in  Texas.  But  at  the  time  my  story  opens  it 
was  a  wild  and  inhospitable  region  that  promised  to  re- 
main a  desert  for  ages. 

I  found  the  wholesale  merchants  in  Chihuahua  rejoic- 
ing at  the  prospect  of  having  a  railroad  terminus  at  San 
Antonio,  within  nine  hundred  miles  of  them,  and  they 
were  considering  the  best  means  of  reaping  the  greatest 
advantages  that  could  be  secured  in  the  transportation 
of  goods.  They  thought  it  was  possible  to  avoid  the 
enormous  expense  on  large  shipments  of  merchandise 
that  necessity  required  them  to  order  at  one  time,  by 
arranging  for  quick  transportation  of  goods  in  smaller 
quantities.  As  a  single  consignment  sometimes  weighed 
about  80,000  pounds  and  was  valued  at  $100,000,  this 
capital,  with  an  additional  outlay  of  $50,000  for  freight- 
ing and  custom-house  duties,  had  become  a  serious  bur- 
den, because  the  goods  had  to  be  stored  in  warehouses 
six  or  eight  months  until  the  supply  was  exhausted. 

Several  of  the  most  prominent  merchants  interviewed 
me  on  the  subject  and  inquired  if  it  was  possible  to 
make  an  arrangement  so  that  they  could  get  their  con- 
signments through  in  smaller  lots  at  regular  intervals  by 
introducing  a  system  that  would  insure  rapid  transpor- 
tation and  thereby  avoid  the  great  outlay  and  expense 
that  wholesale  dealers  were  obliged  to  bear  in  order  to 
supply  their  customers. 

I  gave  the  subject  careful  consideration  before  coming 
to  a  decision,  and  then  I  proposed  to  them  that  if  a 
certain  number  of  merchants  in  the  city  would  obligate 


192  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

themselves,  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  to  import  72,000 
pounds  of  merchandise  every  month,  exclusive  of  heavy 
machinery,  and  export  all  their  remittances  and  freight 
through  me,  I  would  start  thirty-six  small  wagons  with 
five  mules  to  each.  I  explained  that  I  intended  to  divide 
the  wagons  equally  into  three  trains,  and  that  each 
wagon  would  be  capable  of  hauling  two  thousand  pounds 
of  freight;  that  after  the  line  was  established  the  trains 
would  run  on  schedule  time,  and  make  the  trip  to  Chi- 
huahua in  thirty  days,  by  leaving  San  Antonio  on  the 
first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  return  in  the  same 
time  after  leaving  Chihuahua  on  the  seventh  and  twenty- 
fourth  of  each  month. 

I  agreed  to  provide  specially  constructed  wagons  for 
the  protection  of  merchandise  from  the  weather  and  from 
pilferers,  and  arrange  for  their  safety  on  the  route  by 
placing  each  train,  with  its  twelve  drivers  and  three 
herders,  in  charge  of  a  competent  wagon-master  and  arm 
all  of  the  sixteen  men  with  improved  weapons,  so  that 
they  would  be  strong  enough  to  protect  themselves 
against  Indians  and  outlaws. 

I  stipulated  that  I  should  receive  eight  dollars  per 
hundred,  or  $80  per  thousand  pounds  for  hauling  freight 
from  San  Antonio  to  Chihuahua,  and  that  the  rate  on 
copper  and  other  back  freight  from  Chihuahua  was  to 
be  five  dollars  per  hundred,  or  $50  per  thousand  pounds ; 
also  that  the  charge  for  transporting  Mexican  money 
and  silver  bullion  should  be  two  and  a  half  per  cent.,  or 
twenty-five  dollars  on  every  thousand  dollars. 

My  proposition  was  accepted  with  the  understanding 
that  the  contract  should  provide  for  the  discontinuance 
of  the  line  in  the  event  that  a  railroad  was  completed 
to  Chihuahua  at  any  time  within  ten  years.  This  stipu- 
lation did  not  concern  me  in  the  least,  because  the  re- 
mote possibility  of  such  a  road  being  built  was  beyond 
my  conception,  and  I  was  very  much  elated  over  the 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  193 

prospect  of  building  up  a  safe  and  lucrative  business. 
After  perfecting  the  agreement  I  realized  that  the  under- 
taking was  too  great  for  me  to  handle  alone,  and  I  de- 
cided to  associate  Mr.  Edward  Froboese  with  me  as  a 
partner  in  the  enterprise.  He  was  then  in  San  Antonio, 
where  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  complete  my  arrange- 
ments, and  I  proceeded  immediately  to  load  my  wagons 
with  freight  destined  for  Texas. 

Before  I  was  ready  to  start,  Mr.  Russell  Norton,  of  the 
firm  of  Norton  &  Deutz,  of  San  Antonio,  who  was  await- 
ing an  opportunity  to  return  to  Texas,  requested  permis- 
sion to  travel  with  me,  and  I  readily  granted  him  the 
privilege.  Business  affairs  had  called  him  to  Chihuahua 
some  time  before  in  the  interest  of  his  house,  which  trans- 
acted a  large  business  in  cities  and  mining  districts  of 
the  State  through  local  agencies. 

Mr.  Thomas  Cordero,  a  man  of  prominence  in  that 
country,  with  his  family  and  servants,  also  accompanied 
the  train  in  three  ambulances,  with  a  wagon  that  car- 
ried their  luggage.  His  individual  wealth  was  estimated 
at  a  large  amount,  and  he,  with  his  brother,  Augustine 
Cordero,  was  once  the  owner  of  the  largest  irrigated  farm 
in  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  which  they  sold  in  1872  for 
$250,000.  Mr.  Cordero  expected  to  be  absent  from  Mex- 
ico several  years,  and  had  planned  a  tour  through  the 
United  States  and  Europe,  with  the  expectation  of  re- 
turning by  the  way  of  Vera  Cruz  and  the  City  of  Mexico. 
They  were  refined  and  educated  people,  with  agreeable 
manners,  and  his  was  the  nicest  family  that  I  ever  trav- 
eled with. 

The  third  day  after  leaving  Chihuahua,  when  we  were 
making  the  ninety-mile  drive  between  the  two  watering- 
places,  at  Julimes  and  Chupadero,  Mr.  Norton  met  with 
an  adventure  that  might  have  terminated  seriously  but 
for  a  fortunate  coincidence.  About  twenty-two  miles 
east  of  Julimes  I  ordered  the  driver  of  the  ambulance  in 


194  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

which  Mr.  Norton  and  myself  were  riding  to  go  ahead  of 
the  train  to  a  place  about  three  miles  beyond,  where  I 
expected  to  camp  for  supper. 

We  stopped  near  the  bank  of  a  dry  branch,  that  was 
covered  on  both  sides  with  a  growth  of  brush,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  Mr.  Norton  walked  down  into  the  dry  chan- 
nel about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  ambu- 
lance, where  he  was  suddenly  confronted  by  eight  or  ten 
Comanche  Indians  where  no  one  would  have  expected  to 
find  them.  I  could  not  see  them  until  they  circled  around 
him,  and  then  I  perceived  that  he  was  in  an  awkward  if 
not  a  dangerous  situation.  I  knew  that  he  did  not  have 
his  rifle  or  other  weapon  with  him,  and  I,  with  the  driver, 
hastened  to  his  assistance,  but  we  stopped  in  an  advan- 
tageous position  within  forty  yards  of  them.  This  was 
not  what  they  expected,  and  they  undertook  to  get  us 
inside  the  ring  that  surrounded  Norton,  by  advancing 
in  our  direction,  but  we  made  threatening  demonstrations 
which  kept  them  back  until  they  desisted  after  several 
attempts. 

They  did  not  injure  Mr.  Norton  in  the  slightest  man- 
ner, but  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  would  have  killed 
him  if  we  had  not  been  present.  Their  actions  indi- 
cated that  they  were  in  a  bad  humor,  and  when  they 
showed  Mr.  Norton  how  they  scalped  white  men  in 
Texas  it  was  plainly  intended  as  an  expression  of  their 
hatred  for  the  race.  I  expected  that  serious  trouble 
would  grow  out  of  it,  but  we  were  prepared  to  meet  it 
and  watched  for  the  first  threatening  movement.  I 
thought  the  time  had  come  for  action  when  one  of  them 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  through  the  place  where  we 
expected  to  camp,  because  his  actions  showed  that  his 
intention  was  to  provoke  a  fight;  but  luckily  for  all 
parties  concerned,  the  herd  of  mules,  driven  by  the  cap- 
oral  and  his  men  on  horseback,  and  followed  by  the  traiyi 
of  wagons,  appeared  a  short  distance  beyond  as  they 
came  over  the  hill. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  195 

The  Indians  seemed  to  be  disconcerted  when  they  saw 
my  outfit,  because  they  believed  that  we  were  traveling 
alone,  and  it  is  probable  that  they  calculated  on  getting 
our  scalps.  They  realized  the  disadvantages  that  con- 
fronted them  at  a  glance,  and  after  mounting  their  horses 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible  they  rode  off,  yelling  in 
regular  Comanche  style.  We  were  glad  to  see  the  last 
of  them,  and  Mr.  Norton,  who  seemed  to  understand  that 
he  had  escaped  a  serious  danger,  was  more  careful  in  his 
movements  thereafter  and  never  wandered  about  unarmed. 

The  weather  was  pleasant  until  we  arrived  at  Fort 
Stockton,  and  then  it  commenced  to  rain.  From  there  on 
to  Fort  Clark  we  traveled  through  almost  an  incessant 
downpour  of  rain,  which  made  our  journey  very  uncom- 
fortable and  delayed  us  beyond  the  time  I  had  calcu- 
lated on  for  making  the  trip,  consequently  a  change  in 
my  plans  became  necessary  on  account  of  a  large  sum 
of  money  I  was  transporting  on  two  of  my  wagons, 
amounting  to  $180,000,  which  I  had  obligated  myself  to 
deliver  in  Galveston  before  the  steamer  sailed  for  Europe 
that  brought  the  goods  which  were  to  be  conveyed  under 
bond  on  my  next  trip  to  Chihuahua. 

To  meet  my  engagements  I  was  compelled  to  leave  the 
train  at  Fort  Clark  in  charge  of  the  wagon-master,  and 
make  forced  drives  with  the  two  wagons  containing  the 
money,  which  had  fourteen  mules  hitched  to  each  of  them. 
The  commandant  of  the  post  furnished  me  with  an  escort 
of  fifteen  men  and  a  wagon,  in  charge  of  a  sergeant. 
I  hastened  forward  to  Luling,  and  thence  by  train  with 
the  money  to  Galveston,  where  I  delivered  it  to  Messrs. 
Heick  &  Helfrisch  two  days  before  the  steamer's  de- 
parture. 

Mr.  Norton  had  become  impatient  to  get  home,  and 
he  also  left  the  train  at  Fort  Clark,  where  he  took  a  seat 
in  the  stage;  but  Mr.  Cordero  and  his  family  remained 
with  the  wagons,  which  were  heavily  loaded  with  copper 
and  hides,  until  they  arrived  in  San  Antonio.  He  had 


196  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

made  arrangements  with  me  to  take  charge  of  his  serv- 
ants, teams,  and  vehicles,  with  the  understanding  that  I 
was  to  convey  them  to  Chihuahua  with  my  train,  and  I 
complied  with  my  agreement  the  next  trip. 

I  made  no  unnecessary  delay,  but  immediately  returned 
to  San  Antonio  and  interviewed  Mr.  Froboese,  with  ref- 
erence to  my  contract  for  the  transportation  of  goods 
between  San  Antonio  and  Chihuahua,  and  laid  before  him 
the  whole  scheme,  with  the  evidence  of  my  agreement  with 
the  merchants.  I  offered  him  an  equal  partnership  with 
myself  in  the  enterprise,  which  he  accepted  with  the  un- 
derstanding that  it  was  to  be  equipped  at  our  joint  ex- 
pense. We  then  had  an  interview  with  Col.  T.  C.  Frost, 
the  banker,  who  was  then  the  agent  for  the  Mitchell 
Wagon  Company,  and  I  requested  him  to  ascertain  the 
price  and  how  soon  the  factory  could  deliver  thirty-six 
wagons  to  be  made  as  follows:  Wagons  to  be  built  of 
the  best  materials  and  with  a  guaranteed  capacity  to 
carry  £000  pounds  over  rough  roads ;  the  box  to  be  four 
feet  wide,  six  feet  high,  and  twelve  feet  long,  with  a 
door  on  hinges  in  the  rear  end,  that  could  be  locked ; 
the  roof  covering  the  bed  to  be  made  stationary,  with 
sloping  sides  made  of  light  boards  and  covered  with 
heavy  ducking;  the  driver's  seat  to  be  in  front,  outside 
of  the  box,  like  those  on  a  Concord  stage-coach,  and 
placed  where  the  brake  could  be  controlled  by  the  driver's 
foot. 

All  the  thirty-six  wagons  were  to  be  exactly  alike,  and 
numbered  so  that  when  loaded  the  contents  of  each  could 
be  specified  on  the  bills  of  lading.  The  door  in  the  rear 
was  to  be  closed  and  locked  after  the  goods  were  packed 
for  the  journey,  and  the  roof  was  to  secure  them  against 
thieves,  but  principally  to  protect  them  from  the  weather 
when  in  transit. 

In  due  time  Colonel  Frost  received  a  satisfactory  reply 
from  the  wagon  factory  with  reference  to  the  order,  and 
about  the  same  time  a  communication  came  to  me  from 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  197 

Messrs.  Kedelson  &  Degetau,  of  Chihuahua,  stating  that 
an  engineer  corps  had  surveyed  and  established  a  line 
for  a  railroad  from  El  Paso  to  Chihuahua,  and  that  the 
company  was  then  negotiating  for  land  belonging  to  Gov- 
ernor Terrazas  and  Henry  Mueller.  The  company  had 
also  deposited  a  bonus  of  $200,000  as  a  guarantee  that 
the  road  would  be  completed  to  Chihuahua  inside  of  three 
years. 

Fortunately  the  information  reached  me  opportunely, 
otherwise  we  would  have  placed  our  order  for  the  wagons 
and  possibly  other  expenses  migh  have  been  incurred.  I 
was  thankful  that  unnecessary  outlays  had  been  averted, 
but  my  disappointment  was  irritating,  because  I  had 
planned  and  expected  to  perfect  one  of  the  largest 
freighting  enterprises  in  the  West.  In  ten  years  I  could 
have  made  the  business  profitable  in  many  ways,  and  at 
the  same  time  our  trains  would  have  saved  the  merchants 
of  Chihuahua  an  incalculable  amount  of  expenses.  But 
the  "  Rapid  Transportation  Company  "  was  only  a  vision 
that  ended  like  a  dream  before  its  name  became  known  to 
the  public.  Froboese  and  I  continued  to  run  our  regular 
freighting  business  separately,  as  before,  until  we  entered 
into  a  partnership  in  other  enterprises  that  continued 
for  years. 


CHAPTER    XXII 

I  WAS  accompanied  on  my  last  trip  to  Chihuahua,  in 
1876,  by  Mrs.  Santleben  and  our  two  children,  Sophie, 
now  Mrs.  Ed.  McAllister,  and  Carlotta,  who  died  in 
early  childhood.  Dr.  Rufus  Watkins,  of  Corsicana, 
traveled  with  us  from  San  Antonio,  and  Miss  Emily 
Stienly  joined  our  party  at  Fort  Stockton,  both  of  whom 
went  through  to  Chihuahua.  Miss  Stienly,  who  is  now 
Mrs.  Garby,  of  San  Antonio,  traveled  with  my  wife  from 
Castroville  to  that  point  two  years  before,  and  had  been 
visiting  her  sister,  Mrs.  Mary  Arnold,  the  mother  of 
Martin  Arnold,  Esq.,  of  San  Antonio. 

Nothing  occurred  on  our  western  journey  that  is  worth 
noting  except  an  adventure  with  a  large  rattlesnake  that 
was  discovered  in  a  tarpaulin  that  was  used  for  the  chil- 
dren to  play  on  when  in  camp.  The  night  before,  when 
in  use,  the  snake  crawled  between  the  folds,  and  when 
taken  up  it  was  placed  on  the  rear  of  Mrs.  Santleben's 
ambulance.  It  remained  there  until  we  stopped  for 
breakfast  the  next  morning,  when  it  was  taken  out  to 
be  spread  as  usual  for  the  young  folks  to  romp  on.  As 
the  folds  were  opened  the  snake  dropped  out,  and  con- 
siderable excitement  followed  until  it  was  dispatched. 

Before  starting  on  this  journey  I  received  information 
that  a  revolution  was  brewing  in  the  State  of  Chihuahua, 
and  I  was  advised  to  travel  the  El  Paso  route,  which  is 
over  three  hundred  miles  further  than  that  by  way  of 
Presidio  del  Norte,  because  I  would  avoid  a  wilderness 
of  one  hundred  and  forty  miles,  in  which  there  was  not  a 
single  habitation,  that  was  dangerous  in  troublesome 
times;  but  the  country  along  the  other  route  was  more 

198 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  199 

thickly  populated,  and  I  could  hope  for  protection  or 
advice.  I  made  a  fortunate  decision,  because  before  I 
arrived  at  El  Paso  the  revolutionary  party,  with  Angel 
Treas  at  its  head,  had  risen  against  the  government,  and 
he  pronounced  himself  governor  of  the  State  of  Chi- 
huahua. 

Orders  awaited  me  at  El  Paso  from  Messrs.  Kedelson 
&  Degetau  directing  me  not  to  cross  the  Rio  Grande 
until  I  received  further  instructions.  I  was  compelled 
to  obey,  because  the  freight,  consisting  of  valuable  goods, 
with  which  the  fourteen  wagons  in  my  train  were  loaded, 
belonged  to  them.  I  moved  my  train  to  the  table  moun- 
tain southeast  of  El  Paso,  near  Fort  Bliss,  and  camped 
them  there;  but  I  engaged  apartments  for  myself  and 
family  at  the  old  El  Paso  Hotel,  that  was  then  kept  by 
Mrs.  Roman,  where  Miss  Stienly  and  Dr.  Watkins  also 
secured  rooms. 

We  remained  in  El  Paso  forty-five  days  under  a  heavy 
expense.  In  the  meantime  the  war  was  going  on  between 
the  regular  troops  and  the  revolutionists,  until  the  latter 
were  badly  defeated  in  a  battle  that  was  fought  near  the 
city  of  Chihuahua,  in  which  the  gallant  General  Paralta, 
of  the  Mexican  army,  was  killed.  The  rebels  were  driven 
to  their  strongholds  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State 
and  eastward  to  the  Rio  Grande,  where  Treas  held  pos- 
session of  Presidio  del  Norte  and  the  country  in  that 
direction. 

Messrs.  Kedelson  and  Degetau  informed  me  of  the 
state  of  affairs,  and  instructed  me  to  cross  the  river  and 
hasten  forward  with  my  train  as  quickly  as  possible  be- 
fore the  revolutionists  could  rally.  I  lost  no  time  in 
obeying  their  orders,  and  after  passing  through  the 
American  and  Mexican  custom-houses,  made  a  quick 
trip  to  Chihuahua  without  being  molested,  and  arrived 
with  everything  in  good  condition,  including  Mr.  Cor- 
dero's  property,  which  I  delivered  to  his  agents. 

Among  the  friends  who  welcomed  me  was  Mr.  Moye,  a 


200  A  TEXAS   PIONEER 

brother-in-law  of  Governor  Tarrasas,  who  was  absent. 
He  kindly  placed  the  governor's  house  and  servants  at 
my  disposal,  and  I  occupied  it  with  my  family  during 
the  seventeen  days  that  I  remained  in  the  city.  The  time 
was  spent  pleasantly,  and  the  attentions  we  received  were 
appreciated. 

The  delay  was  occasioned  by  the  anxiety  of  the  mer- 
chants to  get  their  money  out  of  the  country  on  account 
of  the  unsettled  condition  of  affairs,  and  the  fear  of  los- 
ing it  should  the  revolution  gain  strength.  The  insur- 
gents had  capture^  Henry  Mueller,  the  millionaire  and 
father-in-law  of  Emil  Kedelson,  before  the  battle  took 
place  in  which  Paralto  was  killed.  He  was  taken  to  the 
mountains  near  Santa  Lorenzo,  and  a  ransom  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  was  demanded  from  his  family, 
which  was  paid,  and  he  returned  home  before  my  depart- 
ure. 

My  stay  in  Chihuahua  was  attended  by  an  enormous 
outlay  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  forage  and  provi- 
sions caused  by  the  disturbances  in  the  country.  The 
hay  that  was  fed  to  each  mule  cost  about  fifty  cents  per 
day,  and  corn  was  sold  at  twelve  dollars  a  fanega.  The 
supply  was  limited  even  at  those  prices,  and  their  feed 
was  much  less  than  it  should  have  been  preparatory  for 
hauling  their  heavy  loads  homewards. 

I  was  compelled  to  return  by  way  of  El  PaSo,  because 
Angel  Treas  still  held  possession  of  Presidio  del  Norte; 
and  I  started  back  with  the  largest  amount  of  money 
and  copper  that  was  ever  brought  from  Chihuahua.  I 
carried  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  Mex- 
ican silver,  for  which  I  received  two  and  a  half  per  cent., 
or  $8750;  and  forty  thousand  pounds  of  copper,  the 
freight  on  which  was  five  cents  a  pound,  or  two  thousand 
dollars.  These  sums  added  to  the  charges  on  75,000 
pounds  of  up  freight  made  a  total  of  $17,500  that  I 
received  for  my  round  trip. 

The  great  sum  of  money  placed  in  my  care  made  it 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  201 

necessary  for  me  to  protect  my  customers'  interests  as 
much  as  possible,  and  for  that  purpose  I  engaged  the 
services  of  Captain  Maximo  Aranda,  who  had  made  him- 
self conspicuous  in  his  opposition  to  the  revolution.  I 
paid  him  one  thousand  dollars  to  escort  my  train  to  El 
Paso  with  his  thirty  men,  and  he  performed  his  duty 
faithfully.  Captain  Aranda,  who  then  owned  a  large 
stock  ranch  seventy-five  miles  southeast  of  El  Paso,  in 
Mexico,  at  a  place  called  Conta  Recio,  was  well  and  fa- 
vorably known  in  El  Paso,  Texas,  where  he  once  served 
as  a  guard  under  Mr.  Mills  when  he  was  United  States 
customs-house  officer  at  that  place. 

After  crossing  the  Rio  Grande  at  El  Paso  we  traveled 
down  the  north  bank  of  the  river  a  distance  of  ninety 
miles,  to  Fort  Quitman,  where  we  took  the  road  for  Fort 
Davis.  About  twelve  o'clock  that  night,  when  twenty 
miles  beyond  the  fort,  a  party  of  six  men  came  up  with 
us,  who  told  me  that  they  had  in  their  possession  twenty- 
four  thousand  dollars  in  silver  coin,  that  had  been  sent 
to  me  from  Chihuahua,  but  they  had  no  writing  to  show 
from  the  person  who  sent  the  money.  The  captain,  who 
was  in  charge  of  the  party  when  they  started,  had  re- 
ceived instructions  from  the  owner,  and  knew  to  whom 
the  money  was  consigned,  had  been  captured  by  the  revo- 
lutionists. He,  with  two  of  his  men,  visited  a  ranch  on 
the  way  with  the  intention  of  buying  something  to  eat, 
but  got  into  trouble,  and  when  the  others  realized  the 
danger  they  made  their  escape  with  the  money.  With 
no  other  knowledge  than  that  the  coin  was  to  be  deliv- 
ered to  me  in  Texas,  they  hastened  to  overtake  me.  They 
might  have  proven  unfaithful  to  their  trust,  because  I 
learned  afterwards  that  the  owner  never  could  find  out 
what  became  of  the  men,  and  thought  that,  probably, 
they  were  killed  or  captured  by  the  rebels,  until  he  learned 
through  me  that  they  had  honestly  performed  their  duty. 
I  took  the  silver  in  charge,  without  giving  the  men  a 
receipt,  and  conveyed  it  to  San  Antonio,  where  I  kept  it 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

in  my  house  for  months,  awaiting  information  from  Heick 
&  Helfrisch,  of  Galveston,  to  whom  I  communicated  all 
the  facts. 

When  I  arrived  at  Fort  Davis  I  ascertained  that  Angel 
Treas  and  a  majority  of  his  followers  had  been  driven 
out  of  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  and  that  he,  with  some  of 
his  men,  passed  the  fort  a  few  days  before  on  their  way 
to  San  Antonio.  I  was  cautioned  by  my  friends,  Cap- 
tains Quinby  and  Stibers,  who  were  stationed  with  their 
companies  at  Fort  Davis,  to  be  very  careful,  by  avoiding 
unnecessary  risks,  as  it  was  widely  known  that  I  was 
carrying  a  large  sum  of  money  on  my  train,  and  it  was 
not  improbable  that  the  outlawed  revolutionists  would 
attempt  to  capture  it  at  some  point  on  my  route.  They 
advised  me  to  ask  for  an  escort,  and  when  I  did  so,  a 
telegram  to  that  effect  was  immediately  sent  to  General 
Ord,  the  commandant  of  the  Department  at  San  An- 
tonio, who  approved  my  request  by  ordering  that  an 
escort  of  twenty-five  men  under  an  officer  should  protect 
me  to  Fort  Stockton. 

The  detachment,  with  two  wagons,  accompanied  me  to 
that  point,  and  another  guard  was  furnished  from  there 
to  Fort  Concho,  where  similar  orders  had  been  received, 
providing  the  same  number  of  soldiers  to  go  with  me  to 
Fort  McKavitt,  and  from  there  it  was  arranged  that  the 
escort  with  their  outfit  should  go  through  to  San  An- 
tonio. 

The  good  behavior  of  all  these  detachments  deserves 
commendation,  and  I  could  not  help  feeling  more 
than  grateful  for  the  interest  they  manifested  in  guard- 
ing my  train.  The  generous  protection  of  the  govern- 
ment, through  its  officers,  insured  the  safety  of  my  charge 
and  relieved  me  of  the  anxiety  I  would  otherwise  have 
felt.  But  I  had  no  opportunity  to  show  my  apprecia- 
tion, in  a  substantial  way,  except  to  the  last  detachment, 
who  guarded  me  to  San  Antonio.  When  they  were  pre- 
paring to  return  to  their  post  I  presented  them  with  two 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  203 

boxes  of  good  cigars  and  a  cask  of  Budweiser  bottled 
beer,  including  a  dozen  glasses,  which  they  highly  appre- 
ciated. I  visited  General  Ord,  at  his  headquarters,  soon 
after  my  arrival,  and  expressed  my  thanks  for  the  kind 
assistance  he  had  rendered  me.  I  had  reason  to  value 
the  favor  shown  me  because  mine  was  the  first  overland 
train  on  that  route  for  which  an  escort  was  ever  fur- 
nished. 

I  talked  quite  a  while  with  the  general,  and  at  his  re- 
quest gave  him  all  the  information  I  could  with  reference 
to  the  revolution  in  Chihuahua  that  was  headed  by  Angel 
Treas,  who  had  visited  the  general  a  few  weeks  before 
my  arrival.  I  never  saw  Treas  myself,  but  was  told  that 
he  was  a  fine-looking  and  well-behaved  man. 

I  remained  in  San  Antonio  eight  days,  during  which 
time  the  well-known  banker,  Mr.  Lockwood,  arranged  with 
me  to  convey  to  Galveston  an  additional  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  in  Mexican  silver,  which  he  had  boxed  for  ship- 
ment to  New  York,  where  it  commanded  a  higher  premium 
than  the  seven  per  cent,  he  had  paid.  I  accepted  the  re- 
sponsibility and  placed  the  sum  with  the  three  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars  I  brought  from  Chihuahua 
and  loaded  the  amount  on  four  wagons,  each  of  which 
was  drawn  by  ten  of  the  best  mules  picked  from  my  herd. 

I  started  from  San  Antonio  at  nine  o'clock  p.  M.,  with 
thirteen  men,  including  myself,  five  of  whom  were  driv- 
ers, with  an  extra  man  as  guard  on  each  wagon,  and  two 
others  rode  with  me  on  horseback.  We  were  all  armed 
with  Winchester  carbines  and  six-shooters,  and  felt  that 
if  there  was  any  significance  attached  to  the  unlucky 
number  "  thirteen  "  we  were  well  prepared  to  meet  con- 
tingencies. Mr.  Lockwood  was  present,  and  looked  a 
little  uneasy  when  the  wagons  pulled  out  of  the  yard, 
on  Dallas  Street,  where  I  was  then  living;  but  after  see- 
ing the  preparations  I  had  made  for  the  safety  of  my 
train,  and  the  number  of  armed  men  that  guarded  it,  he 
was  satisfied  and  remarked  "  That  looks  all  right." 


204  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

We  traveled  from  nine  o'clock  that  night  until  day- 
light before  stopping  to  rest  the  teams  and  eat  break- 
fast. We  waited  until  ten  o'clock  before  hitching  up, 
and  arrived  at  Kingsbury,  east  of  the  Guadalupe  River, 
about  three  o'clock  that  evening.  I  chartered  a  box-car 
from  Captain  Cook,  the  railroad  agent  at  that  point,  and 
the  money  was  unloaded  into  it  before  dark.  I  had  ar- 
ranged to  take  five  men  with  me  in  the  car,  and  after 
securing  my  six  passes  we  started  for  Galveston,  but  did 
not  arrive  there  until  two  o'clock  the  following  evening. 
The  $350,000  that  .1  brought  from  Mexico  was  consigned 
to  Messrs.  Heick  and  Helfrisch  and  was  delivered  imme- 
diately, likewise  the  fifty  thousand  dollars  belonging  to 
Mr.  Lockwood,  to  the  bank  to  which  it  was  consigned. 

I  told  Messrs.  Heick  and  Helfrisch  all  about  the 
twenty-four  thousand  dollars  that  had  been  delivered  to 
me  under  such  peculiar  circumstances  and  informed  them 
that  I  had  left  it  in  my  house  in  San  Antonio  where  I  was 
holding  it  for  identification.  I  also  notified  them  that  I 
had  sold  a  half  interest  in  my  train  to  Henry  Vonflie, 
who  would  accompany  the  wagons  thereafter,  because  I 
had  other  business  to  attend  to,  and  it  was  probable  that 
I  had  made  my  last  trip  to  Chihuahua. 

Three  months  later  Messrs.  Heick  and  Helfrisch  in- 
formed me  that  a  firm  in  Chihuahua  had  requested  them 
to  solicit  information  from  me  regarding  twenty-four 
thousand  dollars  they  had  forwarded  to  me  after  I  left 
Chihuahua,  as  they  were  unable  to  trace  any  of  the  par- 
ties to  whom  it  was  entrusted,  and  it  was  probable  that 
if  they  did  not  deliver  it,  they  were  killed  by  the  revolu- 
tionists. The  uncertainty  with  reference  to  it  and  my 
failure  to  report  its  receipt,  made  them  fear  it  was  lost, 
because  all  the  other  merchants  who  forwarded  money 
through  me  received  correct  returns  from  their  con- 
signees, and  they  hoped  that  I  could  throw  some  light 
on  the  subject.  Messrs.  Heick  and  Helfrisch  immediately 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  205 

relieved  their  anxiety  by  communicating  the  facts  as  I 
had  related  them,  to  which  they  replied  giving  the  neces- 
sary instructions  for  its  disposition,  and  I  forwarded  the 
money  by  express  from  Kingsbury  to  their  agents  in 
Galveston,  who  paid  the  full  amount  of  my  charges.  Al- 
though I  had  other  transactions  with  Messrs.  Heick  and 
Helfrisch  afterwards,  this  is  the  last  time  they  will  be 
mentioned.  Mr.  Helfrisch  is  dead,  but  as  Mr.  Heick  is 
now  a  prosperous  merchant  in  Abilene,  Texas,  he  will 
testify  to  the  truth  of  my  statements. 

After  the  twenty-four  thousand  dollars  was  taken  to 
my  house,  a  lot  of  bonded  goods  in  my  care  was  placed 
in  the  same  room  and  the  key  was  given  to  Mr.  Ogden, 
the  father  of  Charles  Ogden,  Esq.,  then  United  States 
revenue  agent  in  San  Antonio,  who  knew  all  about  the 
money.  But  I  took  no  chances  on  that  account,  and 
saw  that  it  was  properly  guarded  until  the  responsibility 
ceased. 

I  was  certainly  pleased  at  the  prospect  of  being  re- 
lieved of  the  money  that  was  turned  over  to  me  in  the 
wilderness  under  such  mysterious  circumstances  after 
months  of  careful  watchfulness.  Fortunately  Mr.  T. 
Monier  was  making  preparations  to  start  for  Kings- 
bury  with  his  train  the  following  day,  and  after  making 
arrangements  with  him  to  haul  it  to  that  point  I  sent 
the  money  to  his  house  on  Zavala  Street  early  in  the 
morning  by  Henry  Wagenfuhr,  a  trusty  drayman.  In 
the  meantime  I  learned  that  certain  persons  in  San  An- 
tonio had  found  out  in  some  way  that  the  money  was 
moved,  and  were  planning  to  rob  Monier's  house,  but 
fortunately  for  them  they  did  not  put  in  an  appearance, 
because  arrangements  had  been  made  to  give  them  a  warm 
reception.  Charges  were  made  against  the  guilty  par- 
ties before  the  grand  jury,  of  which  Henry  Elmendorf 
was  foreman,  but  the  matter  was  finally  dropped. 

This  last  trip  to  Chihuahua  was  the  longest  and  most 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

expensive  in  my  experience.  It  was  commenced  on  the 
10th  of  July,  1876,  after  loading  my  wagons  in  Luling, 
and  it  did  not  end  until  I  returned  from  Galveston,  seven 
months  thereafter.  In  the  meantime  I  had  unloaded  the 
copper  on  my  wagons  in  San  Antonio,  on  the  llth  of 
January,  1877,  and  the  money  at  old  Kingsbury,  nine 
days  later. 

The  gross  income  that  I  received  on  the  trip  was  over 
seventeen  thousand  dollars,  and  my  total  expenses 
amounted  to  over  fourteen  thousand  dollars,  conse- 
quently I  only  netted  about  three  thousand  dollars  as  a 
compensation  for  all  my  hardships  and  disappointments. 
But  for  the  enforced  delays  I  would  have  received  profit- 
able returns  from  it,  and  also  from  a  second  trip  I  might 
have  made  in  that  length  of  time. 

Dr.  Watkins  remained  in  Chihuahua,  but  our  party 
was  increased  by  the  following  persons,  who  returned 
with  us  to  San  Antonio :  Mr.  Markt,  a  retired  merchant 
of  Chihuahua,  his  wife  and  five  children,  who  now  reside 
in  Medina  County;  a  son  of  Mr.  George  McManus,  and 
Henry  Fischer,  a  nephew  of  Henry  Mueller.  These,  with 
my  own  family  and  Miss  Stienly,  enlarged  our  company 
to  fifteen  persons,  and  our  associations  were  pleasant 
throughout  the  journey. 

The  only  unpleasant  incident  of  the  trip  occurred  in 
connection  with  one  of  my  men  soon  after  leaving  Chi- 
huahua. Francisco  Ruiz  was  a  confidential  driver  to 
whom  I  entrusted  the  care  of  a  brick  of  gold  valued  at 
two  thousand  dollars.  A  short  time  after  receiving  it 
he  became  afflicted  with  nervous  prostration,  which  af- 
fected his  mind,  and  when  I  attempted  to  recover  posses- 
sion of  the  gold  brick  I  could  get  no  satisfaction  from 
him  in  regard  to  its  hiding-place,  but  I  continued  to  look 
for  it  until  it  was  found.  The  poor  man  had  completely 
lost  his  mind,  and  for  seven  days  he  ate  but  little  and 
never  slept.  He  never  lay  down,  and  a  constant  watch 
was  kept  over  his  movements,  but  nothing  could  be  done 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  207 

to  relieve  him  until  the  eighth  day,  when  I  tried  an  ex- 
periment which  restored  him  to  a  normal  condition. 

He  was  sitting  near  a  camp  fire,  with  several  of  his 
companions,  about  eight  o'clock  at  night.  His  head  was 
resting  in  his  hands  and  he  was  crying.  I  determined  to 
quiet  him,  and  if  possible,  put  him  to  sleep.  I  saturated 
a  towel  with  chloroform  and  placed  it  slowly  under  his 
face,  where  I  allowed  it  to  remain  until  he  went  to  sleep. 
Captain  Aranda  and  Henry  Vonflie,  of  Briar  Branch,  laid 
him  down  and  put  something  under  his  head  that  served 
as  a  pillow.  He  slept  about  two  hours,  and  when  the 
effects  began  to  wear  off  I  administered  more  chloro- 
form. About  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  persuaded 
him  to  get  into  a  wagon  where  he  would  be  more  com- 
fortable. He  then  asked  for  more  of  the  sweet-smelling 
medicine  and  I  gave  him  some  on  a  handkerchief,  but 
not  enough  to  hurt  him.  He  fell  asleep  before  I  left  him 
and  an  hour  later  the  train  started.  When  we  camped 
at  nine  o'clock  Ruiz  was  well  rested  and  he  talked  very 
sensibly.  He  commenced  searching  immediately  for  the 
gold  brick  that  I  had  trusted  to  his  care,  but  I  told  him 
it  was  useless,  as  I  had  it  in  my  possession  and  showed 
him  the  place  where  I  found  it.  No  indication  of  his 
disorder  was  perceptible,  and  after  we  crossed  the  river, 
at  El  Paso,  he  was  again  able  to  drive  his  team. 

He  continued  his  services  as  a  driver  with  the  train 
until  a  year  later,  when  on  his  way  to  Chihuahua.  He 
then  had  a  similar  attack,  which  came  on  him  in  a  camp 
three  miles  east  of  the  Nueces  River,  on  the  El  Paso  road. 
He  died  almost  instantly,  and  was  buried  the  following 
morning  at  that  place.  His  grave  can  yet  be  seen,  and 
it  is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  I  can  identify  it  and 
testify  to  his  worth. 

He  left  a  wife  and  three  children,  who  then  lived  in 
San  Antonio  on  the  Rock  Quarry  Road,  in  a  small  house 
south  of  Captain  Smith's  residence.  I  took  care  that  his 
family  should  not  suffer,  by  giving  a  standing  order  to 


208  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

my  brother-in-law,  Henry  Wagner,  for  supplies  at  his 
store,  and  supported  them  for  two  years.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  that  time  I  arranged  with  Telamantes  to  convey 
them  with  his  train  to  Santa  Rosalia,  near  Chihuahua, 
and  when  I  last  heard  from  them  they  were  all  alive  and 
in  comfortable  circumstances. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

BEFORE  the  Galveston,  Harrisburg  and  San  Antonio 
Railroad  was  completed  to  San  Antonio  I  anticipated 
that  important  event  by  founding  one  of  the  first  two 
transfer  lines  that  were  ever  established  in  the  city. 
Messrs.  Berg  &  Bro.  started  the  other  at  the  same  time 
when  the  road  was  opened  for  business,  in  1877,  and  our 
individual  wagons  delivered  the  first  commercial  freight 
that  was  ever  hauled  into  San  Antonio  over  a  railroad. 

I  could  not  give  the  business  my  personal  attention  be- 
cause I  was  frequently  absent  with  my  train,  and  for  that 
reason  I  entered  into  a  partnership  with  Messrs.  Wolfing 
and  La  Batt,  who  were  then  conducting  a  commission 
business  on  Market  Street.  We  organized  under  the 
firm  name  of  "  The  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company," 
in  1877,  and  it  was  entirely  under  their  control,  except 
that  I  had  a  voice  in  the  general  management. 

About  that  time  telephones  were  being  used  as  novel- 
ties, and  we  introduced  the  first  instruments  that  were 
ever  put  in  operation  in  San  Antonio.  The  line  was  a 
private  enterprise  and  the  wire  was  stretched  from  our 
office  nearly  in  a  direct  line  to  the  freight  office  of  the 
Galveston,  Harrisburg  &  San  Antonio  Railroad  depot  by 
passing  it  over  buildings  and  attaching  it  to  trees  or 
other  objects.  One  phone  was  in  our  office  and  the  other 
was  attached  to  the  desk  of  our  shipping  clerk  in  the 
depot,  Mr.  Ed.  Dieselhorst,  who  now  lives  in  San  An- 
tonio. They  were  not  as  perfect  as  those  now  in  use, 
but  they  answered  our  purpose  equally  as  well  and  they 
certainly  gave  satisfaction.  The  wonderful  invention  was 
then  a  curiosity,  and  as  it  excited  a  great  deal  of  interest, 

209 


210  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

many  persons  visited  the  office  to  test  it  personally.  Its 
marvelous  powers  were  commented  on,  but  no  one  pre- 
dicted that  it  would  grow  in  favor  until  it  became  a 
necessity  in  the  business  and  social  world. 

We  secured  a  liberal  patronage  and  the  firm  prospered, 
but  soon  afterwards  Mr.  La  Batt  sold  his  interests  to 
Mr.  Wolfing  and  withdrew  from  the  firm.  A  new  part- 
nership was  then  formed  under  the  name  of  Wolfing  & 
Santleben  and  we  opened  our  office  in  the  old  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Building,  on  the  corner  of  Houston  and  St.  Mary 
Streets,  where  the  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company  was 
run  in  connection  with  the  commission  business.  After 
the  transfer  business  was  started  I  devoted  the  greater 
part  of  my  time  and  attention  to  my  freighting  interests, 
but  I  became  dissatisfied  with  the  management  of  the 
new  company  and  determined  to  dissolve  partnership  with 
Mr.  Wolfing. 

Mr.  Ed.  Froboese  owned  and  was  then  running  a  large 
wagon-train,  and  as  I  had  before  offered  to  associate  him 
with  me  in  the  "  Rapid  Transportation "  business  to 
Chihuahua,  I  proposed  that  he  and  I  should  establish 
a  Mexican  commission  business  in  connection  with  our 
freighting  service.  I  also  suggested  that  if  he  would 
purchase  Mr.  Wolfing's  interest  in  the  transfer  line  we 
could  combine  all  three  enterprises  under  one  manage- 
ment. He  willingly  entered  into  my  plans,  and  when 
Mr.  Wolfing  was  made  acquainted  with  them,  he  re- 
luctantly sold  out  his  interest  in  the  transfer  company 
to  Mr.  Froboese,  who  entered  into  partnership  with  me 
in  1879  under  the  firm  name  of  Froboese  &  Santleben. 
We  conducted  our  business  in  the  same  office  two  years 
against  continual  opposition,  but  we  met  our  competitors 
successfully  by  uniting  our  energies  and  concentrating  all 
the  resources  at  our  command  after  the  sale  of  our  trains 
when  freighting  ceased  to  be  profitable.  We  had  been 
competing  with  Messrs.  Berg  &  Bro.  all  the  time  in  a 
friendly  way  until  John  Monier,  C.  Villemain  and  Martin 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Muench  entered  into  open  opposition  against  our  trans- 
fer line  and  then  we  all  had  to  hustle  for  patronage. 
Fortunately  our  company  was  able  to  hold  its  own  and  in 
a  short  time  our  three  competitors  were  willing  to  sell 
out  to  Froboese  &  Santleben  at  a  reasonable  price  and 
quit  the  business ;  but  their  wagons  were  old  and  useless 
to  us  after  we  bought  them,  and  our  only  returns  were  the 
worth  of  the  irons. 

Later  on  Mr.  La  Batt  started  an  independent  transfer 
line  with  four  floats  of  Wilson  &  Childs  make,  but  soon 
afterwards  he  proposed  to  consign  his  outfit  to  the  man- 
agement of  the  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company  and  it 
was  not  long  before  we  made  the  same  arrangements  with 
Messrs.  Louis  and  Henry  Berg,  whereby  we  controlled 
their  eight  floats.  Under  our  agreement  Messrs.  La  Batt 
and  Berg  &  Bro.  were  to  receive  a  certain  percentage  of 
the  net  earnings  of  their  twelve  floats  during  the  contin- 
uance of  the  contract.  In  this  way  we  removed  all  com- 
petition and  the  San  Antonio  Transfer  line  was  conducted 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all  the  parties  concerned  until  we 
closed  out  our  business,  and  at  the  same  time  we  continued 
our  Mexican  commission  enterprise  as  an  independent 
concern  in  which  Froboese  &  Santleben  alone  were  inter- 
ested. During  eight  months  of  the  time  Mr.  Froboese 
was  in  Europe  and  the  business  was  entirely  under  my 
control. 

In  188£  I  felt  the  necessity  of  visiting  Mexico  for  the 
benefit  of  my  health,  which  had  been  seriously  impaired 
after  I  gave  up  freighting  five  years  before.  I  deter- 
mined to  visit  the  San  Lucas  Springs  and  made  suitable 
preparations  for  the  trip  by  providing  an  outfit  with 
everything  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  my  family,  in- 
cluding my  sister,  who  was  also  in  bad  health,  and  others 
who  accompanied  me  on  the  expedition  with  expectations 
of  pleasure  and  excitement. 

The  party  consisted  of  Mrs.  Santleben  and  my  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  Mary  Rheiner;  a  niece,  Anna  Weyel;  my  two 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

nephews,  Henry  Wagner  and  Willie  Rheiner;  James 
Durham,  now  postmaster,  business  man  and  owner  of  the 
water-works  at  Sabinal;  Ernest  Hausman,  now  of  San 
Antonio,  and  four  servants.  We  started  about  the  10th 
of  May  and  traveled  leisurely  in  our  four  vehicles  over 
the  Eagle  Pass  route  which,  on  account  of  my  feeble 
condition,  was  made  by  easy  stages. 

We  stopped  at  the  Dolch  Hotel  in  Eagle  Pass  and 
were  welcomed  by  my  old  friend  who  had  frequently  en- 
tertained me  on  former  occasions.  Ten  years  had  passed 
since  I  had  visited  the  place  or  crossed  the  Rio  Grande 
at  that  point,  and  many  new  rules  and  regulations  had 
been  introduced  in  the  custom-houses,  especially  at 
Piedras  Negras,  with  reference  to  travelers  ente'ring 
Mexico.  These  were  known  to  me,  but  I  thought  I  could 
avoid  the  exactions,  vexations,  and  delays  in  my  case  by 
seeking  a  personal  interview  with  the  officials.  Although 
scarcely  able  to  make  the  exertion  I  crossed  the  river  the 
day  after  my  arrival,  and  visited  the  office  of  the  Mexi- 
can custom-house,  where  I  hoped  to  meet  some  of  my 
old  acquaintances,  but  those  who  received  me  were  as- 
sistants and  strangers.  They  were  very  civil  and  I  was 
politely  requested  to  state  the  purpose  of  my  visit.  I 
informed  them  that  I  wished  to  enter  Mexico  with  my 
party  and  outfit  without  unnecessary  delay,  and  that  it 
was  my  intention  to  visit  and  bathe  in  the  waters  of  San 
Lucas  Springs  with  the  hope  of  benefiting  my  health. 
They  explained  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  me  to  make 
an  inventory  of  all  my  belongings,  such  as  vehicles,  ani- 
mals, arms,  and  our  three  months'  supply  of  provisions; 
and  that  an  import  duty  of  thirty  per  cent,  on  their  value 
would  be  levied,  which  when  paid  would  be  deposited  to 
my  credit  with  an  understanding  that  the  amount  re- 
ceived on  each  of  such  entries  as  specified  on  the  inven- 
tory, should  be  refunded  when  I  again  passed  through 
the  custom-house  on  my  return.  I  thanked  them  for 
their  courtesy  and  requested  an  interview  with  the  officer 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  313 

in  charge  of  the  custom-house,  who  occupied  an  adjoin- 
ing room,  which  was  granted.  I  walked  in  and  after 
introducing  myself,  stated  that  I  was  an  old  frontiers- 
man who  once  ran  a  stage  line  between  San  Antonio  and 
Monterey  when  the  custom-house  at  Piedras  Negras  was 
in  charge  of  Nicolas  Gresanto  and  his  assistant,  Pedro 
Morales,  who  were  then  and  afterwards  intimate  friends 
of  mine.  I  also  told  him  that  I  had  since  freighted  to 
Chihuahua  and  crossed  the  Rio  Grande  many  times  at 
El  Paso  and  Presidio  del  Norte.  When  I  saw  that  he 
appeared  to  be  interested  I  talked  about  many  prominent 
persons  in  Mexico,  some  of  whom  were  my  friends,  who 
were  well  known  to  him,  until  I  was  agreeably  inter- 
rupted by  the  appearance  of  Juan  Muscos,  the  chief 
clerk  of  the  custom-house,  who  to  my  knowledge  had  held 
the  office  for  eighteen  years,  whom  I  recognized  in  a  mo- 
ment after  he  entered  the  room.  He  knew  me  instantly 
and  immediately  rushed  forward  to  greet  me.  With  his 
arms  around  me  he  told  his  chief  that  I  was  a  very  dear 
friend  of  his  whom  he  had  known  since  1862.  He  then 
inquired  of  me  what  had  brought  me  back  to  Mexico, 
but  before  I  could  answer,  the  officer  had  told  him  the 
object  of  my  visit,  and  that  as  I  wanted  to  arrange  for 
my  passage  through  the  custom-house  with  as  little  delay 
as  possible,  he  instructed  his  clerk  to  issue  me  a  pass 
that  would  permit  me  to  cross  the  river  with  my  party 
and  outfit  at  once.  The  next  day  I  crossed  over,  and 
after  I  drove  up  to  the  custom-house  the  ladies  were 
invited  to  the  residence  of  the  officer  in  charge,  where 
they  were  entertained  by  his  family  while  an  inventory 
was  being  made  of  our  belongings,  which  were  thoroughly 
examined  and  valued;  but  not  a  cent  was  exacted  as  a 
deposit  on  the  valuation,  and  my  verbal  obligation  was 
the  only  stipulation  for  the  return  of  the  animals  and 
vehicles.  Finally  a  pass  was  given  me  which  stated  that 
I  was  an  old  frontiersman  and  that  as  I  was  visiting 
Mexico  for  my  health  I  and  my  party  should  be  per- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

mitted  to  go  wherever  we  pleased  without  being  inter- 
fered with  in  our  travels. 

We  left  Piedras  Negras  about  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  and  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half  we  arrived  at 
Vieta,  where  we  were  welcomed  by  Jose  Maria  Perez,  the 
principal  owner  of  the  town,  who  was  a  highly  esteemed 
old  gentleman.  He  was  an  old  friend,  who,  in  1871, 
brought  his  infant  son  all  the  way  to  San  Antonio  be- 
cause he  wanted  me  to  stand  as  his  god-father.  He  was 
an  uncle  of  Pedro  and  Nicanor  Valdez,  of  Sabinas  Sta- 
tion, who  were  then  prominent  in  Mexico,  and  were  also 
intimate  friends  of  mine.  I  remained  with  him  four  days, 
and  when  I  left  he  sent  his  son,  a  mounted  custom-house 
officer,  to  escort  us  and  extend  his  protection,  because 
the  country  was  unsafe  on  account  of  Indians. 

Our  next  stop  was  at  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  third  day, 
where  we  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  Muenzenber- 
ger  family  for  four  days,  and  they  were  unremitting  in 
their  attentions,  and  I  have  every  reason  to  feel  grateful 
to  them  because  they  have  always  been  my  good  friends. 
Mr.  Muenzenberger  died  several  years  ago  in  El  Paso, 
but  his  widow  and  sister-in-law  now  reside  on  Avenue  B, 
in  San  Antonio.  When  we  left  we  were  accompanied  by 
Anton  Burgelman,  with  two  men,  who  gave  us  additional 
protection  until  the  morning  after  we  passed  Puerto  Ovio, 
where  two  families  were  killed  by  Indians  two  days  before. 
The  next  night  we  stopped  at  Luis  Serna's  ranch,  within 
five  miles  of  the  spring,  and  the  next  morning  we  reached 
our  destination. 

San  Lucas  Springs  is  situated  north  of  the  Serna  ranch 
in  a  rough  canon,  due  west  from  Eagle  Pass  and  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  the  Rio  Grande.  To 
distinguish  it  from  hot  springs  in  other  localities,  it  is 
known  as  the  cold  spring,  although  the  water  is  tem- 
perate, and  it  flows  from  a  large  and  deep  basin  in  the 
mouth  of  a  cave,  where  it  forms  a  brook  which  passes 
through  the  canon.  The  curative  properties  of  the  water 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

are  well  known,  and  many  invalids  visit  the  spring 
on  account  of  the  medicinal  qualities  it  possesses,  inde- 
pendent of  the  sulphur  with  which  it  is  strongly  im- 
pregnated. 

I  had  little  faith  in  the  efficiency  of  the  water  and  at 
first  refused  to  bathe  in  it,  but  was  overcome  by  the  in- 
sistence of  my  wife  and  sister,  and  was  surprised  at  the 
beneficial  results  I  derived  from  it.  It  far  surpassed 
my  expectations,  and  I  continued  to  improve  after  my 
first  bath,  which  was  repeated  twice  a  day  for  six  weeks, 
or  until  my  health  was  entirely  restored. 

I  had  borrowed  two  cows  from  Mr.  Serna  and  also 
bought  a  lot  of  hens  to  furnish  my  camp  with  milk  and 
eggs,  and  they  gave  us  an  abundance  during  our  stay. 
We  passed  our  time  pleasantly  in  camp  and  introduced 
many  diversions.  The  day  that  Guiteau  was  executed 
we  thought  it  was  our  duty  to  notice  his  foul  crime,  and 
when  Durham  formed  us  in  line  those  with  weapons  fired 
a  salute  to  express  our  approval  of  his  fate.  On  account 
of  Indians  and  to  prevent  a  sudden  attack  a  strict  guard 
was  maintained  by  sentinels  who  were  stationed  every 
night  around  the  camp. 

Mr.  Serna  had  information  of  our  intended  departure 
from  the  springs,  and  the  day  we  arrived  at  his  ranch  he 
had  a  sumptuous  dinner  prepared  for  our  benefit.  We 
expressed  our  appreciation  of  his  hospitality  by  doing 
full  justice  to  his  entertainment,  and  we  retain  pleasant 
recollections  of  the  many  acts  of  kindness  manifested  in 
our  behalf. 

After  I  returned  to  San  Antonio,  much  improved  in 
health,  Mr.  Froboese  and  I  decided  to  dispose  of  our 
business  interests  and  invest  in  a  cattle  ranch.  We  sold 
our  entire  interest  in  the  San  Antonio  Transfer  Com- 
pany and  the  Mexican  commission  business  to  Messrs. 
Berg  and  La  Batt  and  soon  afterwards  our  ranch  was 
established  on  the  Rio  Frio  in  Uvalde  County  under  the 
firm  name  of  August  Santleben  &  Company. 


216  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Although  we  had  cut  loose  from  all  busines  entangle- 
ments in  San  Antonio  we  continued  to  feel  an  interest  in 
the  transfer  company,  and  it  was  with  sincere  regret  that 
we  learned  of  its  troubles.  It  seemed  that  they  com- 
menced in  a  disagreement  with  B.  F.  Yoakum,  who  I  be- 
lieve was  at  that  time  the  general  manager  of  the  In- 
ternational &  Great  Northern  Railway  Company,  and  it 
led  to  the  establishment  of  an  opposition  transfer  line  by 
Yoakum,  who  instituted  it  as  a  private  enterprise.  He 
bought  six  four-horse  floats  and  turned  them  over  to  Mr. 
Orr,  who  had  b§en  a  contractor  on  the  International  & 
Great  Northern  Railroad  and  owned  a  lot  of  horses, 
mules  and  wagons  which  were  then  idle.  In  a  short  time 
the  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company  found  that  it  could 
not  compete  with  the  methods  that  the  new  company 
introduced  into  their  business,  and  Messrs.  Berg  and  La 
Batt  were  compelled  to  sell  out  to  them.  The  Orr  Trans- 
fer Company  then  controlled  the  entire  transfer  business 
in  the  city,  and  it  was  run  to  suit  the  managers  without 
reference  to  the  wishes  of  their  patrons.  The  principal 
cause  of  discontent  was  their  refusal  to  pay  the  freight 
at  the  depots  according  to  the  custom  that  was 
established  by  Messrs.  Berg  and  myself  when  the  G.  H. 
&  S.  A.  depot  was  first  opened. 

I  kept  posted  with  reference  to  what  was  going  on 
in  San  Antonio,  and  after  Froboese  and  I  realized  that  we 
had  not  only  made  a  mistake  when  we  went  into  the  cattle 
business  but  were  actually  losing  money  on  our  invest- 
ment, we  determined  to  engage  in  other  employment  in- 
dependent of  the  ranch.  We  soon  found  out  that  the 
merchants  in  the  city  were  dissatisfied  with  the  way  the 
transfer  business  was  conducted,  and  when  some  of  them 
requested  us  to  re-establish  ourselves,  I  visited  all  the 
wholesale  houses  and  made  contracts  with  them  to  haul 
their  freight  at  a  stipulated  price  for  two  years.  We 
ordered  twelve  floats  from  Wilson  &  Childs,  and 
Froboese  went  to  St.  Louis  to  buy  the  necessary  number 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  217 

of  large  Missouri  mules  that  were  required.  Inside  of 
two  months  our  opposition  line  was  in  operation  and  Mr. 
Orr  was  immediately  thrown  out  of  business.  Messrs. 
F.  Groos  &  Company  were  the  bankers  for  the  Orr 
Transfer  Company  and  they  bought  the  entire  property 
and  sold  it  to  us  for  eleven  thousand  dollars.  We  gave 
our  notes  for  the  amount,  which  was  paid  in  less  than 
two  years  out  of  our  earnings. 

When  Froboese  &  Santleben  took  possession  of  the 
property,  an  inventory  showed  that  they  owned  seventy- 
two  floats  and  old  wagons  and  one  hundred  and  ten  head 
of  horses  and  mules.  These  numbers  included  their  re- 
cent purchases  and  all  the  floats  and  animals  that  were 
formerly  owned  by  every  one  of  the  defunct  companies. 
From  them  the  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company  selected 
forty  of  the  most  serviceable  floats  and  seventy-five  of 
the  best  animals  with  which  to  carry  on  its  business.  The 
remaining  trucks  were  either  stored  away  or  sold  as 
junk,  and  the  surplus  horses  were  placed  on  the  market 
and  disposed  of  as  quickly  as  possible.  It  then  ran 
forty  odd  floats  with  over  one  hundred  animals. 

Our  company  monopolized  the  transfer  business  of  the 
city  during  the  two  years  that  it  operated  under  the  con- 
tracts with  the  merchants ;  but  when  the  time  expired 
competitors  with  from  two  to  four  wagons  opposed  us 
on  all  sides,  and  during  the  next  four  years  we  had  the 
struggle  of  our  lives.  Among  them  was  Mr.  Louis 
Scheihagen,  an  old  retired  merchant,  who  started  four 
floats,  but  after  running  them  a  while  he  sold  them  and 
his  business  to  F.  A.  Piper,  a  prominent  and  successful 
merchant  in  Uvalde,  Texas,  who  purchased  largely  from 
the  leading  commercial  houses  in  San  Antonio.  His  in- 
fluence and  standing  secured  him  a  certain  patronage 
and  made  him  a  formidable  competitor,  and  we  saw  the 
necessity  of  removing  the  opposition.  We  found  that 
Mr.  Piper  favored  a  partnership,  and  an  agreement  was 
negotiated  whereby  he  became  associated  with  us  in  our 


218  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

business.  Under  the  arrangement  that  we  perfected  in 
1892,  Mr.,  Piper  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  San  An- 
tonio Transfer  Company  at  a  fair  cash  valuation,  and 
put  in  his  four  floats  and  animals  at  cost  as  part  pay- 
ment. The  San  Antonio  Transfer  Company  then  ex- 
pired, after  an  existence  of  about  fifteen  years,  when 
the  new  organization  took  the  name  of  the  Merchants 
Transfer  Company.  But  the  firm  of  Froboese  &  San- 
tleben  and  also  that  of  A.  Santleben  &  Company,  in 
which  A.  B.  Frank  and  Max  Krakauer  were  interested, 
survived,  because  neither  was  connected  with  the  new 
company. 

The  general  management  of  the  business  was  entrusted 
to  Julius  Piper,  a  brother  of  F.  A.  Piper,  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  stockholders;  but  it  was  not  conducted  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  the  parties  concerned,  and  a  dis- 
agreement arose  that  made  me  wish  that  I  was  out  of  the 
firm.  Froboese  and  I  discussed  the  business  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  employe  of  the  house  who  had  been  befriended 
by  me  and  in  whom  we  both  had  confidence.  We  decided 
that  we  would  get  out  of  the  company  and  re-establish 
the  San  Antonio  Transfer  line,  but  as  Froboese  was  in- 
debted to  Mr.  F.  A.  Piper  for  a  considerable  amount  of 
money  and  was  not  in  a  position  to  sell  to  advantage,  it 
was  agreed  that  the  subject  should  be  left  open  after  it 
was  settled  that  one  of  us  should  sell  to  the  other.  The 
party  who  was  present  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
our  affairs  and  we  had  every  reason  to  trust  him  because 
he  was  under  many  obligations  to  us ;  but  we  afterwards 
learned  that  he  was  scheming  to  sever  our  connection  with 
the  firm,  and  subsequently  he  used  his  information  to 
effect  his  purpose. 

I  was  sick  in  bed  at  the  time  the  Judas  visited  me  and 
submitted  a  plausible  proposition  in  which  he  represented 
that  Froboese  wanted  either  to  purchase  my  interest  in 
the  company  or  sell  his  own  to  me.  He  urged  that  as  I 
was  unable  to  attend  to  the  business  I  should  make 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  219 

Froboese  my  successor,  and  as  I  was  then  still  more  in- 
clined to  sell  and  knew  that  he  wanted  to  buy,  I  enter- 
tained no  suspicions  of  a  shady  transaction  until  I  as- 
certained afterwards  that  the  proposition  was  made  with- 
out Froboese's  knowledge.  The  terms  submitted  for  my 
consideration  appeared  to  be  free  from  entanglements, 
and  I  was  so  well  satisfied  that  I  agreed  to  dispose  of  my 
stock  to  Froboese  at  once.  The  next  day  a  clerk  was 
sent  to  my  house  with  the  necessary  documents,  which  I 
signed  when  propped  up  in  bed,  thereby  terminating  my 
connection  with  the  firm  without  any  money  being  paid, 
and  I  was  forced  to  institute  suit  for  the  amount. 

That  was  the  way  I  got  out  of  the  transfer  business  in 
San  Antonio,  after  having  spent  many  of  the  most  active 
years  of  my  life  in  its  management.  Froboese  severed  his 
connection  with  the  company  in  a  tragic  manner  a  few 
months  later  when  he  realized  that  he  was  inextricably  in- 
volved in  debt.  I  then  ascertained  that  he  was  financially 
mined  when  he  purchased  my  shares  in  the  transfer  com- 
pany, and  that  he  had  hypothecated  them  for  their  full 
value  to  protect  his  credit  after  encumbering  all  of  his 
property  for  every  cent  it  could  carry. 

I  knew  that  Froboese  owned  considerable  property,  but 
I  did  not  suspect  that  any  of  it  was  encumbered,  nor  do 
I  believe  that  he  intended  to  ill  use  me  when  he  bought 
my  shares  on  the  strength  of  his  credit,  and  I  am  con- 
fident that  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  by  his  creditors 
through  the  Judas  who  betrayed  us  both  under  the  guise 
of  friendship.  It  was  a  well-laid  scheme  to  swindle  us,  and 
the  hand  that  manipulated  the  triggers  knew  when  to 
spring  them  when  there  was  no  means  of  escape. 

This  information  disposes  of  the  transfer  business  so 
far  as  I  was  concerned,  but  I  have  not  noticed  my  con- 
nection with  other  private  enterprises  or  political  ex- 
periences during  that  period  otherwise  than  in  a  bare 
reference.  I  will  now  call  attention  to  them,  and  will 
first  give  an  account  of  the  street-sprinkling  business, 


220  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

that  has  not  been  noted,  in  which  I  engaged  long  before 
I  was  identified  with  any  local  business  in  San  Antonio. 

The  enterprise  was  instituted  during  the  administra- 
tion of  Mayor  French,  under  contracts  with  the  city  and 
merchants,  to  sprinkle  the  plazas  and  certain  streets  in 
San  Antonio,  also  the  main  avenues  leading  to  the  depots 
after  the  railroads  were  completed  to  the  city,  under 
Mayors  Callaghan's,  Paschal's  and  ElmendorPs  adminis- 
trations. I  purchased  the  first  sprinkling  outfits,  of  both 
the  Miller  and  Studebaker  patents,  that  were  used  in  San 
Antonio,  through  Messrs.  Staacke  Bros.,  and  introduced 
them  for  that  purpose.  These  contracts  were  extended 
through  a  period  of  sixteen  years,  and  then  it  were  per- 
manently interrupted  by  the  San  Antonio  Water-works, 
Company,  which  secured  an  injunction  to  prevent  the  use 
of  water  from  its  hydrants.  The  city  controlled  the 
business  afterwards,  at  its  own  expense,  under  an  ar- 
rangement with  the  company,  and  doubtless  it  will 
continue  to  manage  it  to  an  indefinite  period. 

I  had  been  connected  more  or  less  with  politics  for 
years,  but  I  was  never  a  candidate  for  an  office  until 
nominated  and  elected  City  Alderman  of  the  Fourth 
Ward  in  1890.  The  best  evidence  I  can  give  of  my  serv- 
ices is  the  approval  awarded  me  by  my  constituents,  who 
were  granted  all  their  demands,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  re- 
member that  my  associates,  with  Mayor  Callaghan  at 
their  head,  always  seconded  my  efforts  in  their  behalf. 
The  only  city  ordinance  that  I  can  recall  which  originated 
at  my  suggestion,  was  the  naming  of  Main  Avenue,  that 
for  150  years  was  known  as  Acequia  Street.  I  was  an 
alderman  eighteen  months,  and  when  I  resigned,  in 
August,  1891,  to  accept  the  office  of  Registrar  of  Votes 
for  Bexar  County,  to  which  I  was  appointed  under  Gov- 
ernor Hogg's  administration,  I  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Thomas  E.  Dougherty,  who  served  as  alderman  for  the 
unexpired  term. 

The  office  to  which  I  was  appointed  had  been  recently 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  8*1 

created,  and  after  I  was  installed  in  September,  1891, 
my  signature  approved  the  first  registration  certificate 
that  was  ever  issued  in  Bexar  County.  I  held  the  office 
six  years,  in  which  time  I  served  three  terms  for  the 
county  and  three  terms  for  the  city,  and  when  I  resigned, 
in  August,  1897,  Captain  Philip  Shardein  was  appointed 
to  succeed  me. 

I  then  entered  into  partnership  with  Joe  Meyer  and 
engaged  in  the  produce  business,  on  Houston  Street,  but 
I  soon  discovered  that  the  business  was  unprofitable,  and 
as  it  did  not  suit  me  I  closed  it  out  as  soon  as  possible. 
In  this  connection  I  will  notice  the  fact  that  soon  after 
I  disposed  of  my  transfer  business,  in  189'3,  the  partner- 
ship of  Froboese  &  Santleben  was  dissolved,  and  a  year 
later  the  firm  of  Santleben  &  Company  discontinued  the 
ranch  business ;  consequently  when  I  disposed  of  the 
produce  business  I  was  out  of  employment,  and  my 
natural  inclinations  led  me  again  to  engage  in  politics. 
I  became  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  Tax  Assessor  for 
Bexar  County,  in  opposition  to  three  other  aspirants, 
and  was  defeated. 

I  supported  Marshall  Hicks,  Esq.,  for  Mayor  of  the 
city  in  the  next  political  campaign,  in  1899,  and  after  he 
was  elected  I  was  offered,  and  accepted,  the  position  of 
Superintendent  of  Streets  and  Sanitation.  I  held  the 
office  four  years  under  Mayor  Hicks'  administration  and 
that  of  his  successor,  Dr.  Fred  Terrell,  who  was  ap- 
pointed Mayor  to  fill  the  unexpired  period  of  Senator 
Hicks'  second  term.  The  records  of  the  Superintendent's 
office  during  my  incumbency  will  bear  inspection,  and  I 
know  that  my  duties  were  honestly  and  properly  exe- 
cuted ;  but  the  best  evidence  is  noted  in  the  credit  the  city 
received  on  account  of  its  cleanliness  throughout  that 
period. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  political  offices  I  have  had  the 
honor  to  fill  either  by  election  or  appointment,  which  oc- 
cupied eleven  and  a  half  years  of  my  life.  Although  I 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

do  not  regret  the  time  devoted  to  such  employment  I  am 
convinced  that  if  I  had  given  the  same  attention  to  my 
personal  affairs  that  was  received  by  the  public,  my  com- 
pensation would  have  been  more  remunerative  and  I  might 
have  spent  the  time  more  pleasantly.  I  do  not  believe 
that  I  lost  any  friends  during  my  political  career,  al- 
though I  opposed  several  with  whom  I  was  intimate,  but 
never  with  bitter  feelings. 

The  interest  I  felt  in  municipal  affairs  engaged  me  in 
politics  more  than  personal  aspirations,  and  I  have  mani- 
fested the  same  sentiment  through  aid  extended  to  many 
public  and  private  enterprises  that  have  been  started  in 
San  Antonio,  under  the  belief  that  they  would  advance 
the  city's  prosperity;  and  among  them  I  will  notice  the 
Opera  House  and  the  Lone  Star  Brewery.  I  believe  that 
I  was  influenced  by  a  laudable  ambition  and  that  the 
money  was  well  spent,  because  it  has  encouraged  me  to 
do  all  I  could  towards  helping  to  make  San  Antonio  the 
greatest  city  in  Texas, 

I  will  now  bring  this  subject  to  a  close  by  saying  that 
since  the  date  on  which  my  last  political  appointment  ex- 
pired I  have  engaged  in  many  other  business  undertak- 
ings, but  none  of  them  could  be  considered  as  permanent 
enterprises,  although  it  may  be  stated  that  I  have  con- 
tinually held  from  two  to  three  government  contracts, 
each  for  a  limited  period,  up  to  the  present  time. 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

BEFORE  concluding  those  experiences  in  which  I  have 
reviewed  my  humble  services  and  other  subjects  of  a  per- 
sonal character,  I  will  notice  the  settlement  that  reim- 
bursed me  for  a  part  of  my  losses  on  the  frontier.  I  al- 
ways believed  that  in  the  course  of  time  I  would  be  paid 
for  the  mules  that  were  stolen  from  me,  because  the  Fed- 
eral Congress  had  made  provision  for  such  compensation 
and  a  Court  of  Claims  had  been  organized  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.,  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  evidence  re- 
ferring to  Indian  depredations  on  the  exposed  settlements 
of  the  United  States.  Numbers  of  such  claims  had  been 
filed,  including  my  own,  some  of  which  were  for  losses 
sustained  in  1865,  and  the  total  amount  of  those  docketed 
represented  many  millions  of  dollars. 

Some  time  after  the  Court  of  Claims  convened  in 
Washington,  the  judges  ascertained  that  no  headway  was 
possible  on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  claims,  which 
required  close  investigation  through  evidence  that  could 
not  be  secured  except  at  an  enormous  expense,  conse- 
quently it  became  necessary  to  transfer  the  sittings  of 
the  court  to  San  Antonio  and  other  central  points  near 
the  frontier.  Provision  was  accordingly  made  by  amend- 
ing the  law  to  allow  the  court  to  be  moved  from  place 
to  place,  so  that  the  judges  could  make  an  exhaustive 
examination  into  the  merits  of  each  case  without  incom- 
moding the  witnesses. 

The  first  Texas  city  in  which  the  court  convened  was 
San  Antonio,  in  1902,  and  there  Judges  Spooner  and 
Palmer  presided  alternately  until  1905,  when  the  sessions 
were  brought  to  a  close.  So  far  as  I  was  able  to  decide, 

223 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

every  claim  that  was  presented  before  the  court  was  im- 
partially investigated  and  the  evidence  carefully  consid- 
ered with  a  view  to  do  the  claimants  justice  and  at  the 
same  time  protect  the  government  against  fraudulent 
or  exorbitant  charges. 

The  court  held  to  the  opinion  that  all  the  depredations 
that  had  been  perpetrated  on  the  southwestern  frontier 
were  committed  by  Mexican  outlaws,  from  points  west 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  not  by  Indians,  as  represented, 
until  positive  evidence  was  offered  that  proved  the  con- 
trary. My  testimony  was  conclusive  with  reference  to 
horses  I  saw  in  the  possession  of  Indians  in  Mexico, 
bearing  the  brands  of  ex-Congressman  Noonan,  and 
other  well-known  ranchmen  in  Medina  County.  The  fact 
was  so  well  substantiated  that  it  influenced  the  court  to 
dismiss  the  assumption,  and  thereafter  the  justice  of  the 
claims  was  considered  entirely  on  their  merits. 

Much  of  my  time  was  occupied  as  a  witness  during  the 
sittings  of  the  court,  because  of  my  knowledge  of  events 
that  transpired  during  the  period  in  which  all  the  depre- 
dations were  committed.  I  only  testified  with  reference 
to  the  facts  and  responsibility  of  the  claimants  from  a 
disinterested  point  of  view,  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  know 
that  nearly  every  case  in  which  my  evidence  favored  the 
justness  of  the  claim  it  was  approved  and  paid.  The 
proceedings  of  the  court  have  been  published,  and  the 
decisions  will  show  that  many  claims  were  set  aside  as 
fraudulent,  also  that  the  court  reduced  the  amount  of 
damages  specified  in  the  original  affidavit  of  every  legiti- 
mate claim  before  a  judgment  was  rendered. 

My  claim  against  the  government  for  the  value  of 
mules  that  were  stolen  by  Indians  in  1871,  was  filed  in 
Washington,  D.  C.,  in  1872,  by  my  lawyers,  Messrs.  Eck- 
ford  and  Robertson,  of  San  Antonio,  whom  I  employed 
for  a  contingent  fee.  Afterwards  I  was  represented, 
first  by  Judge  Pray,  next  by  Colonel  Upson,  of  San  An- 
tonio, and  then  by  Messrs.  Wilson  and  McManus,  of 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  225 

Washington  City.  When  Mr.  McManus  died,  in  1888, 
Mr.  Wilson  continued  to  represent  me  until  Messrs.  Wer- 
ner and  Schramm,  of  San  Antonio,  became  my  lawyers, 
in  1891,  and  Mr.  Wilson  was  retained  by  them  to  attend 
to  my  claim  in  Washington.  The  case  was  in  their  hands 
twelve  years  and  I  became  impatient  at  the  delay  which 
seemed  as  if  it  would  be  prolonged  indefinitely.  I  had 
given  them  ample  time  before  I  employed  Mr.  Clark,  an 
attorney  in  Washington,  in  1904,  to  attend  to  the  busi- 
ness for  me.  Six  months  afterwards  when  my  case  was 
called  for  trial,  Mr.  Clark  secured  a  judgment  in  my 
favor ;  which  amount  was  paid  to  me  in  full  after  deduct- 
ing the  attorney's  fee  that  the  law  allowed  for  such  serv- 
ices, and  Mr.  Clark  made  a  satisfactory  settlement  with 
Mr.  Wilson  out  of  the  amount  he  received. 

The  case  was  pending  thirty-two  years,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  the  gentlemen  who  represented  me  at  various 
times  did  all  they  could  to  bring  it  to  trial,  but  they  were 
hampered  by  contingencies  and  official  delays  which  Mr. 
Clark  was  in  a  position  to  overcome.  I  was  not  under 
obligations  to  retain  an  attorney  when  I  believed  that 
my  interests  could  be  served  to  better  advantage  by  an- 
other, and  as  the  compensation  was  contingent,  after 
bringing  it  to  a  settlement,  I  was  not  responsible  to  any 
of  them  for  a  fee  except  to  Mr.  Clark,  who  was  a  lawyer 
of  high  standing,  and  I  made  a  satisfactory  settlement 
with  him.  This  explicit  explanation  is  submitted  for  the 
purpose  of  counteracting  any  unfavorable  criticisms 
which  reflect  upon  my  actions  in  the  premises,  that,  I  un- 
derstand, have  been  put  in  circulation. 

The  tedious  delays  that  the  government  imposed  upon 
me,  and  others,  were  extended  through  an  ordinary  life- 
time, and  then  its  responsibilities  were  scaled  below  actual 
values,  that  prevailed  when  the  losses  occurred,  before  its 
constitutional  obligations  were  discharged.  But  the 
amount  I  received  was  appreciated,  though  it  was  much 
less  than  I  expected.  The  fact  that  my  claim  for  losses 


226  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

of  animals  on  the  frontier  was  recognized  by  the  Federal 
Court  as  having  been  perpetrated  by  Indians  confirms 
my  statements  on  the  subject.  It  was  only  an  incident 
in  the  past,  that  has  been  sketched  in  these  reminiscences, 
but  it  recalls  the  active  life  with  which  I  was  associated, 
and  leads  me  to  sum  up  my  travels  as  noted  in  my  ex- 
periences with  a  view  to  accentuate  my  services. 

I  will  only  notice  the  distances  covered  by  me  between 
1865  and  1880,  and  in  these  fifteen  years  I  claim  that  I 
traveled  a  greater  number  of  miles  as  a  mail  contractor 
and  when  staging  and  freighting  than  any  man  then  liv- 
ing. This  assertion  is  not  made  as  a  boast,  but  because 
the  facts  will  confirm  my  exertions  during  those  years. 

I  will  first  review  my  employment  from  January  1, 
1866,  until  June  30,  1867,  as  a  mail  contractor  when  I 
drove  a  weekly  stage  from  San  Antonio  to  Eagle  Pass,  a 
distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  miles,  with- 
out missing  a  trip.  I  made  seventy-eight  round  trips 
over  the  route,  going  and  returning,  each  estimated  at 
three  hundred  and  thirty  miles,  or  a  total  of  twenty-five 
thousand,  seven  hundred  and  forty  miles. 

The  stage  that  I  always  accompanied  from  San  An- 
tonio, Texas,  to  Monterey,  Mexico,  started  on  its  first 
trip  the  first  day  of  August,  1867,  and  the  line  was  dis- 
continued July  30,  1869.  The  distance  between  the  two 
cities  is  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles,, and  I  made 
forty-eight  round  trips  of  one  thousand  and  fifty  miles 
in  each,  or  a  total  of  fifty  thousand,  four  hundred  miles. 

After  abandoning  my  stage  line,  I  engaged  imme- 
diately in  the  freighting  business,  and  from  1869  until 
1880  ran  a  train  of  wagons  from  seaports  and  railroad 
stations  in  Texas,  to  the  city  of  Chihuahua  and  other 
prominent  places  in  Mexico,  also  to  frontier  posts  in 
Texas.  A  reasonable  estimate  of  my  travels,  during 
those  eleven  years,  would  amount  to  fifty  thousand  miles, 
and  I  believe  the  total  would  far  exceed  that  distance  if 
accurately  estimated. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  JOT 

These  three  overland  enterprises  alone  will  sum  up  over 
one  hundred  and  twenty-six  thousand  miles,  or  about  five 
times  around  the  earth,  and  if  my  journeyings  during 
the  other  active  years  of  my  life  were  added,  the  totals 
would  foot  up  much  more.  They  were  made  through  a 
wild  and  uninhabited  country,  over  routes  that  were  con- 
tinually beset  by  savage  Indians,  who  were  inveterate 
enemies  of  the  white  race,  and  by  equally  lawless  men  who 
frequented  the  frontiers  of  Texas  and  Mexico.  Though 
I  risked  my  life  continually  on  these  travels  and  jeopar- 
dized all  the  property  I  possessed,  besides  much  that  was 
entrusted  to  me  by  others,  I  generally  reaped  a  reward 
that  compensated  me  for  all  the  hardships  and  dangers 
I  encountered.  Although  I  sustained  many  losses  in 
various  ways  on  my  own  account,  which  aggregated  a 
large  amount,  I  can  truthfully  say  that  not  one  of  my 
customers  who  entrusted  money  and  merchandise  to  my 
care,  or  the  Federal  Government  under  my  mail  con- 
tracts, ever  lost  a  cent  through  my  negligence. 

The  value  of  freight  that  I  transported  to  and  from 
Chihuahua  and  other  parts  of  Mexico,  on  my  own  wagons 
and  under  contract  on  other  trains,  amounted  to  millions 
of  dollars.  I  will  also  state  that  I  hauled  more  money 
from  Mexico  during  that  period,  on  stages  and  wagons, 
than  any  other  person,  the  greater  part  of  which  was 
consigned  to  parties  in  Europe.  No  security  was  ever 
exacted  to  insure  the  safe  delivery  of  money,  and  it  was 
only  necessary  to  give  my  personal  receipt  for  large 
sums  that  were  entrusted  to  me,  or  for  freight,  the 
greater  part  of  which  consisted  of  valuable  merchandise. 

The  outlay  on  each  trip  that  I  made  with  my  wagon- 
train  was  always  heavy,  and  several  times  my  profits 
were  all  consumed  on  account  of  unavoidable  delays.  I 
usually  had  from  eighteen  to  twenty  men  in  my  employ, 
including  several  extras  for  service  in  cases  of  necessity, 
and  tried  to  secure  experienced  and  reliable  persons,  who 
were  paid  good  wages  in  addition  to  their  board.  My 


228  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

wagon-master  received  $75  per  month;  my  caporal  $30; 
my  drivers  from  $18  to  $20;  and  my  herders  from  $15 
to  $18.  I  also  gave  my  stage  drivers  $60  per  month 
and  board  when  I  ran  the  stage  to  Monterey.  I  will 
also  notice  that  the  firm  of  Froboese  &  Santleben,  of  San 
Antonio,  paid  the  following  liberal  salaries  to  their  em- 
ployes: Their  book-keepers  received  from  $100  to  $125 
per  month;  their  shipping  clerks,  at  each  of  the  depots, 
received  $100  per  month;  and  their  float  drivers,  $1.50 
per  day.  They  were  all  competent  men  and  earned 
wages  that  will  compare  favorably  with  the  salaries  al- 
lowed for  such  work  since  the  advent  of  union  labor  or- 
ganizations, which  are  trying  to  regulate  such  matters; 
and  I  want  to  correct  an  erroneous  impression  by  saying 
that  I  am  not  opposed  to  labor  unions  in  general,  because 
I  recognize  that  they  have  become  necessary,  but  I  have 
denounced  those  who  advocate  extreme  measures  or  ap- 
peal to  their  strength,  otherwise  than  through  arbitra- 
tion, to  enforce  their  demands.  In  my  opinion  wages 
should  be  graded  according  to  efficiency,  and  in  every 
order  members  ought  to  be  rated  with  reference  to  their 
qualifications  and  receive  pay  corresponding  to  their 
abilities.  I  always  observed  this  rule  in  my  business,  and 
I  never  lost  anything  by  paying  worthy  men  good  wages, 
because  it  was  always  cheapest  in  the  end. 

I  often  found  destitute  American  citizens  in  Mexico, 
where  they  had  no  friends,  and  it  was  always  a  pleasure 
to  aid  those  who  solicited  my  assistance.  I  brought 
many  of  them  back  to  Texas  on  my  stage  from  Monterey, 
when  the  fare  alone  was  $75,  and  paid  their  expenses  all 
the  way.  Afterwards,  when  freighting  from  Chihuahua, 
I  often  did  as  much  for  Americans  who  were  stranded  in 
that  region.  I  also  brought  many  poor  Mexican  families 
to  San  Antonio,  who  were  furnished  provisions  free  of 
cost  from  the  train.  These  never  failed  to  express  their 
gratitude,  and  there  is  a  well-known  and  respectable 
Mexican  woman,  now  living  on  the  Castroville  Road,  near 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  229 

the  crossing  of  Leon  Creek,  who  came  to  Texas  under 
such  circumstances  in  company  with  thirty-five  other  emi- 
grants. This  woman  now  earns  a  support  from  a  small 
store  which  she  owns  and  manages,  and  she  shows  her 
thankfulness  in  various  ways  for  the  help  I  gave  her 
about  thirty-five  years  ago  under  the  belief  that  she  never 
can  do  enough  for  me  or  my  family.  Many  similar  inci- 
dents might  be  noticed  in  this  summary  of  facts,  but  they 
would  only  prolong  the  story  of  my  life  unnecessarily, 
and  I  only  call  attention  to  these  because  it  is  a  pleasure 
to  recall  them. 

The  subject  has  been  confined  to  my  personal  ex- 
periences and  those  with  whom  I  was  associated,  and  I 
have  only  noticed  incidentally  a  few  members  of  my 
father's  and  my  own  families,  but  it  was  because  I  could 
not  find  a  place  in  which  to  introduce  the  records  re- 
ferring to  them.  The  information  does  not  extend  be- 
yond the  birth  of  my  parents,  because  I  remember  nothing 
of  their  ancestry,  and  my  references  only  include  their 
descendants  of  the  third  generation. 

My  father,  Christian  Santleben,  was  born  in  Hanover, 
Germany,  on  the  27th  day  of  July,  1809,  and  my  mother, 
Sophie  Haas,  was  born  in  the  same  city  on  the  25th  day 
of  October,  1810.  They  were  married  in  said  city  on  the 
13th  day  of  January,  1837,  and  it  was  their  place  of  resi- 
dence until  they  emigrated  to  America,  in  1845.  Three 
children  were  born  to  them  in  Hanover  and  two  in  Texas, 
whose  names,  with  the  dates  of  their  birth  and  christen- 
ing, are  as  follows:  Christian,  born  January  20,  1838, 
and  christened  January  25,  1838 ;  Wilhelmina,  born  May 
22,  1842,  and  christened  June  5,  1842;  August,  born 
February  28,  1845,  and  christened  March  11,  1845; 
Mary,  born  July  8,  1850,  and  christened  July  25,  1850 ; 

Ferdinand,  born ,  1852.  My  mother  died  November 

30,  1886,  and  my  father  died  March  11,  1889,  at  their 
home  near  Castroville. 

My  brother,  Christian  Santleben,  married  Wilhelmina 


230  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Ammann,  of  San  Antonio,  in  Castroville,  on  the  27th  day 
of  July,  1867,  and  the  names  of  their  children  are  as  fol- 
lows: Charley,  Willie,  Lena,  Mary  and  Christian.  He 
died  in  December,  1893. 

My  sister,  Wilhelmina  Santleben,  married  Henry  Wagner, 
of  San  Antonio,  on  the  13th  of  July,  1863,  and  the 
names  of  their  children  are  as  follows:  Mary,  Henry, 
Gusta,  Willie,  Lena,  Sophie,  August,  and  Lizzie.  Wil- 
helmina died  July  28,  1883,  in  San  Antonio. 

I,  August  Santleben,  married  Mary  Anna  Obert,  of 
Boerne,  Kendall  County,  Texas,  on  the  30th  day  of  De- 
cember, 1870,  and  the  names  of  our  children  are  as  fol- 
lows: Sophie,  Charlotta,  Henry,  August,  Graves,  Alfred 
and  Ella. 

My  sister,  Mary  Santleben,  married  Peter  Rheiner,  of 
Uvalde  County,  in  San  Antonio,  on  the  1st  of  January, 
1872,  and  the  names  of  their  children  are  as  follows: 
Peter,  August,  Ferdinand,  and  Mannie..  Mr.  Rheiner 
died  in  1878,  and  his  widow  married  Charles  Barnard,  of 
Rochester,  New  York,  in  1884,  and  Mary  died  in  1888. 

My  brother  Ferdinand  married  Louisa  Grosenbacher, 
in  1878,  in  San  Antonio,  and  the  names  of  their  children 
are  as  follows:  Emma,  Mary,  Dolly  Bell,  Eddie,  Oscar, 
Johnny,  and  Alfred. 

The  offspring  of  the  second  generation  number  thirty- 
five  souls,  of  whom  twenty-six  are  now  living,  and  several 
of  them  are  married,  who  have  a  total  of  thirty-two 
children,  six  of  them  being  my  grandchildren  by  my 
daughter,  Mrs.  Sophie  McAllister;  consequently  the  liv- 
ing descendants  of  my  parents  at  the  present  time  num- 
ber fifty-eight  persons. 

In  this  brief  reference  to  the  Santleben  family  I  have 
stated  all  the  facts  that  it  is  necessary  to  notice,  and  as 
my  existence  on  earth  is  drawing  to  a  close,  it  is  suitable 
that  I  should  introduce  a  latter  posterity  of  my  father's 
descendants  before  concluding  this  sketch  of  my  life. 

Mr.  George  Obert  and  his  wife,  Mary  (the  parents  of 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  231 

my  wife),  came  to  this  country  in  1853,  and  settled  in 
New  Braunfels ;  the  names  of  their  children  were  Eva, 
Adam,  Lizzie,  Margaret,  Valentine,  and  Mary  (my  wife). 
The  succeeding  chapters  are  reminiscent  of  early  times 
in  west  Texas  and  Mexico,  and  refer  to  historical  and 
social  conditions  that  no  longer  exist.  Those  who  read 
them  will,  perhaps,  appreciate  the  efforts  that  have  done 
so  much  for  civilization  in  the  past  and  encourage  the 
present  generation  to  greater  exertion  towards  improv- 
ing the  opportunities  that  the  future  offers  for  extending 
the  territory  tributary  to  San  Antonio  far  beyond  its 
present  limits. 


CHAPTER    XXV 

THE  settlement  of  the  northern  and  western  regions 
of  Texas  was  retarded  many  years  by  hostile  Indians  who 
opposed  the  advance  of  the  white  race  into  their  hunting 
grounds.  The  enticing  wilderness,  extending  from  the 
Colorado  River  to  the  Rio  Grande  and  covering  an  in- 
definite area  northward  which  lured  the  American  colon- 
ists by  its  attractions,  was  controlled  by  the  Comanche 
tribe,  whose  habitations  were  on  the  head-waters  of  the 
Brazos.  They  were  a  brave,  cruel  and  vindictive  race 
numbering  many  thousands  of  warriors  whose  horseman- 
ship was  marvelous;  and  they  roved  at  will  over  the  im- 
mense territory  which  they  were  always  ready  to  defend 
against  trespassers,  or  gratify  their  thieving  propensi- 
ties by  robbing  those  of  their  possessions  who  succeeded 
in  gaining  a  foot-hold  in  that  country. 

When  Anglo-American  pioneers  and  colonists  began  to 
ignore  all  barriers  and  ventured  to  occupy  the  prohibited 
region  in  greater  numbers  they  were  checked  by  brutal 
murders  and  revolting  outrages.  The  Comanches'  fierce 
and  bloodthirsty  nature  delighted  in  such  crimes  and  they 
served  to  intimidate  their  determined  enemies  while  sat- 
isfying an  implacable  vengeance.  Experience  had 
taught  the  native  occupants  of  the  soil  in  all  parts  of 
America  the  hopelessness  of  coping  with  their  white  ad- 
versaries in  open  warfare,  and  they  undertook  to  oppose 
them  through  the  horrors  inflicted  by  the  tomahawk  and 
scalping  knife.  But  such  tragedies  only  restrained  the 
timid,  through  the  dread  they  inspired  while  they  invoked 
the  fearless  to  merciless  retaliation,  and  a  struggle  com- 
menced for  mastery  which  led  to  a  carnival  of  crime  that 

232 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

threatened  to  destroy  the  hopes  of  those  occupying  the 
outposts  of  civilization. 

For  many  years  marauding  bands  of  Indians  swept 
down  from  their  northern  strongholds  and  spread  de- 
struction in  the  territory  surrounding  San  Antonio,  when 
that  city  was  the  only  place  of  refuge  in  the  western 
country.  The  population  of  the  town  in  184*3  numbered 
less  than  two  thousand,  and  their  rude  habitations  were 
confined  for  safety  to  a  small  area  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
public  square.  Wild  Indians  constantly  hovered  in  the 
suburbs  and  frequently  entered  the  town  to  depredate 
on  the  people,  and  occasionally  they  committed  murder. 

Such  statements  seem  to  be  incredible,  but  several  old 
residents  of  San  Antonio  are  now  living  who  have  seen 
citizens  killed  by  wild  Comanches  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Postoffice.  The  fact  will  be  more  clearly  emphasized 
by  quoting  from  Henry  Castro's  diary,  where  he  says  that 
when  his  first  colonists  arrived  in  San  Antonio  in  Feb- 
ruary, 184*3,  "  no  settlements  existed  west  of  San  Pedro 
Creek  to  the  Rio  Grande."  His  enterprise  attracted  but 
little  attention  because  no  one  in  the  town  then  thought 
that  it  was  possible  to  establish  a  settlement  such  as  he 
proposed.  Nor  was  this  opinion  changed  when  they  were 
joined  by  other  immigrants  during  that  and  the  follow- 
ing year.  But  a  sensation  was  created  when  Henry 
Castro,  in  company  with  Louis  Huth,  appeared,  on  the 
19th  of  July,  1844,  and  announced  that  it  was  his  pur- 
pose to  carry  out  his  undertaking.  He  stopped  at  An- 
tonio Lockmar's,  on  Soledad  Street,  "  then  the  best  house 
in  the  city,"  and  while  there,  on  August  26th,  he  says 
that  "  five  or  six  Comanches  came  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  house  .  .  .  and  succeeded  in  captur- 
ing eleven  mules  that  were  grazing  in  the  enclosure. 
Such  acts  of  audacity  on  the  part  of  Indians 
intimidated  my  colonists  and  tended  to  injure  my 
enterprise." 

Castro  had  not  then  seen  the  land  that  was  specified 


234  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

in  his  grant,  but  a  few  days  afterwards  he  went  west  with 
an  escort  of  five  men  furnished  him  by  the  famous  ranger 
captain,  Jack  Hays,  which  increased  his  party  to  twelve 
well-armed  men,  and  spent  several  days  in  riding  over  a 
part  of  it.  When  the  short-sighted  citizens  of  San  An- 
tonio saw  that  he  was  determined  to  carry  out  his  project 
they  became  alarmed  at  the  idea  of  a  town  being  estab- 
lished between  them  and  the  Rio  Grande  which  would  cut 
off  the  trade  that  came  to  them  in  dribbles  from  Mexico. 
With  a  view  to  hinder  his  plans  they  attempted  to  dis- 
courage his  colonists  and  were  aided  by  interested  prop- 
erty owners  who  wanted  their  labor.  But  he  overcame 
their  selfish  schemes  and  a  few  days  later  established  the 
town  of  Castroville,  where  he  settled  his  people,  far  be- 
yond the  limits  of  the  most  remote  habitation.  In  the 
face  of  difficulties,  with  the  aid  of  armed  bodies  of  Texas 
Rangers  who  kept  the  Indians  in  check  and  guarded  the 
outskirts  of  the  settlements,  he  installed  the  first  pro- 
gressive enterprise  that  promised  to  develop  the  western 
country.  These  fearless  citizen  soldiers  of  Texas,  to 
whom  they  were  so  much  indebted,  were  always  ready  to 
pursue  the  raiders  without  considering  the  odds  against 
them,  and  frequently  inflicted  retributive  justice  for  their 
misdeeds  when  driving  them  back  to  their  distant  haunts. 
Posterity  can  not  too  greatly  extol  the  memory  of  those 
gallant  men  in  the  service  of  the  Republic,  who  constantly 
exposed  their  lives  through  their  efforts  to  protect  the 
frontier,  and  they  deserve  a  monument  in  San  Antonio 
that  will  commemorate  their  performances  during  that 
period. 

The  town  of  Castroville  was  founded  on  the  Medina 
River,  twenty-five  miles  west  of  San  Antonio,  on  the  12th 
day  of  September,  1844,  by  colonists  brought  out  from 
the  Rhenish  provinces  by  Henry  Castro.  On  the  same 
day  Messrs.  Louis  Huth  and  G.  S.  Bourgois  were  elected 
Justices  of  the  Peace  and  Louis  Haas  Constable  by  the 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  235 

authority  of  David  Morgan,  Chief  Justice  of  Bexar 
County.  In  the  morning  of  the  same  day  the  ceremony 
of  laying  the  corner-stone  of  the  church  of  Saint  Louis 
was  performed  by  the  Rev.  Bishop  Odin,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  grand  vicar,  the  Rev.  Abbe  Oge,  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  little  colony.  The  events  of  the  day 
were  celebrated  that  night  with  "  discharges  of  musketry, 
bon-fires  and  the  usual  libations." 

The  following  day  Bishop  Odin  departed  for  San  An- 
tonio and  Mr.  Castro  accompanied  him  part  of  the  way. 
Before  they  separated  the  Bishop  gave  him  the  following 
certificate  : 

"  I,  the  undersigned,  bishop  of  Claudiopolis,  affirm  to 
whom  it  may  concern,  that  upon  the  invitation  of  Mr.  H. 
Castro,  who  has  received  from  the  government  of  Texas 
a  large  grant  of  land  in  the  county  of  Bexar,  I  visited, 
accompanied  by  Abbe  Oge,  of  my  diocese,  his  settlement, 
situated  on  the  Medina  River,  twenty-five  miles  west  of 
San  Antonio  de  Bexar,  to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  the  first 
Catholic  church  to  be  constructed  in  the  first  settlement 
of  the  said  Castro,  and  that  we  placed  the  same  under 
the  invocation  of  Saint  Louis.  We  have  seen  a  good 
number  of  colonists  at  work  building  their  houses  with  a 
view  of  forming  a  solid  and  permanent  settlement. 

"  In  faith  of  which  I  signed  and  affixed  my  seal  to 
these  presents. 

"  ODIN,  Bishop  of  Claudiopolis. 

"  CASTROVILLE,  Sept.  12,  1844. 

"  Seen  for  legalization  of  the  signature  of  Odin,  bishop 
of  Claudiopolis. 

"  F.  GUILBEATJ, 

"  French  Consular  Agent  at  San  Antonio  de  Bexar." 

"  This  document,  signed  by  Bishop  Odin  and  dated 
Castroville,  September  12,  1844,  is  no  doubt  the  first  time 


236  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

that  the  name  Castroville  was  ever  signed  or  printed,  as 
it  came  into  existence  at  that  time."  A.  J.  Sowell,  The 
Early  Settlers  and  Indian  Fighters  of  Southwest  Texas, 
p.  136. 

The  colonists  proceeded  immediately  to  provide  shelters 
for  themselves  and  families,  which  kept  them  constantly 
employed,  and  it  seems  that  they  did  not  have  leisure  to 
draw  up  and  sign  the  following  document  until  the 
twelfth  day,  though  it  was  dated  the  day  of  their  arrival : 

"  Process  verbal  of  the  possession  taken  of  the  lands 
situated  on  the  concession  made  to  Mr.  H.  Castro  by  the 
Texas  government,  on  the  15th  day  of  February,  1842, 
situated  in  the  county  of  Bexar,  and  other  lands  belong- 
ing to  him. 

"  We,  the  undersigned  colonists  engaged  in  France  by 
Mr.  H.  Castro  to  participate  in  the  advantages  of  the 
grant  above  mentioned  within  the  limits  assigned  by  the 
government  of  Texas,  the  terms  of  which  are  more  par- 
ticularly set  forth  in  a  contract  passed  between  us  and 
the  said  H.  Castro,  do  declare : 

"  That  the  said  Castro  having  assembled  us  at  San 
Antonio  de  Bexar  as  our  leader,  conducted  us  on  that 
which  had  been  assigned  and  given  us  by  him,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  we  left  San  Antonio  on  the  1st  of  Sep- 
tember to  go  to  the  Medina  River,  twenty-five  miles  west, 
which  place  we  reached  on  the  2nd  instant.  We  declare 
that,  independent  of  our  contract  and  without  any  obli- 
gation on  his  part,  Mr.  H.  Castro  has  made  us  the 
following  advantages  heretofore  expressed,  in  order  to 
facilitate  to  us  our  speedy  settlement. 

"  Here  are  the  advantages  above  mentioned : 

"  First.  To  each  of  us  forty  acres  of  land  of  his  prop- 
erty on  the  Medina. 

"  Second.  The  necessary  transportation  and  our  ra- 
tions secured  until  our  homes  shall  be  constructed. 

"  Third.     Horses  and  oxen  until  our  next  crop. 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  237 

"  Fourth.  Bacon  and  corn  to  those  who  may  want  it 
until  the  next  crop  is  gathered. 

"  Fifth.     The  use  of  his  milch  cows. 

"We. declare  that  Mr.  John  James,  deputy  surveyor 
of  this  district,  came  and  surveyed  the  lots  assigned  to 
us.  We  declare  since  twelve  days  that  we  have  reached 
our  destination  our  labors,  being  well  conducted,  promise 
to  give  a  comfortable  shelter  for  ourselves  and  families 
within  seven  or  eight  weeks.  We  are  satisfied,  by  the 
experience  that  we  have  acquired,  that  the  climate  of 
Bexar  County  is  among  the  most  salubrious,  the  water 
exceedingly  good,  timber  sufficient,  and  the  land  appears 
to  unite  the  qualities  needed  for  great  fertility.  Such  is 
the  protection  under  which  we  have  established  ourselves 
and  which  forms  the  base  of  our  hopes.  We  have  unani- 
mously resolved  to  name  the  town  of  which  we  are  the 
founders  Castroville. 

"  Done  at  Castroville,  on  the  Medina,  in  the  county  of 
Bexar,  September  the  12th,  1844. 

"  Signed,  Jean  Batiste  Lecompt,  Joseph  Haguelin, 
N.  Rosee,  Theodore  Gentil,  Auguste  Fretelliere,  J.  S. 
Bourgeois,  Zavier  Young,  Louis  Huth,  George  Cupples, 
Charles  Gonibund,  J.  Fairue,  N.  Forgeaux,  P.  Boilot,  C. 
Chapois,  J.  Maeles,  Leopold  Menetrier,  Michel  Simon, 
Theophile  Mercier,  Anthony  Goly,  Louis  Graff,  G.  L. 
Haas,  Joseph  Bader,  Bertold  Bartz,  Charles  de  Montel, 
Sax  Gaspard,  J.  Ulrich  Zurcher,  George  Spani. 

"  Certified  to  at  CastroviUe,  September  the  12th  in  the 
year  1844. 

"G  L.  HAAS,  Constable. 

"  Louis  Huth  and  J.  S.  Bourgeois,  Justices  of  the 
Peace. 

"  Republic  of  Texas,  county  of  Bexar.  I,  the  un- 
dersigned, do  hereby  certify  that  Louis  Huth  and  J. 
Simon  Bourgeois  are  justices  of  the  peace  and  G.  L. 
Haas  constable  of  Castroville  in  this  county. 


£38  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

"  Given  under  my  hand  and  official  seal  at  San  An- 
tonio de  Bexar,  this  the  5th  day  of  October,  A.  D.,  1844. 

"  DAVID  MORGAN, 

"  Chief  Justice  of  Bexar  County. 

\ 

"  Seen  for  the  legalization  of  David  Morgan's  signa- 
ture, the  consular  agent  for  France  ad  interim. 

"  FAUTREL  AINE. 

"  Recorded  by  T.  H.  O'S.  Addicks  on  the  7th  day  of 
October,  A.  D.,  1844,  in  the  records  of  Bexar  County." 

Several  shiploads  of  colonists  had  arrived  before  the 
settlement  was  made  at  Castroville,  but  evidently  the  sig- 
natures in  the  foregoing  list  represent  the  heads  of  fami- 
lies of  all  that  were  present  on  that  occasion.  Some  were 
then  on  the  way,  and  they  continued  to  arrive  until  1847. 
A  complete  list  of  the  colonists  that  were  brought  out  by 
Castro  was  transmitted  to  the  Secretary  of  State  im- 
mediately after  the  arrival  of  each  vessel,  and  they  are 
supposed  to  be  on  file  in  that  office  in  Austin.  The  fol- 
lowing family  names  are  all  of  those  who  settled  in  Cas- 
troville between  the  years  1844  and  1850  that  I  can  re- 
call: Rien,  Tunder,  Eldiero,  Bowl,  Sharp,  Magilien, 
Kichley,  Criesly,  Varnet,  Ichhorn,  Riechheartzer,  Halde, 
Hans,  Grimwald,  Meny,  Bentely,  Huechler,  Frauger, 
Fulmer,  Drougheorst,  Inchin;  Schmitt,  whose  two  sons, 
Emil  and  Louis,  are  living;  Johanes  Loesbeog;  Burger, 
whose  sons,  Louis,  Robert  and  Joe,  survive ;  Trawalter, 
whose  sons  reside  in  San  Antonio;  Vollmer,  father  of 
John  and  Jacob ;  Conrad,  father  of  Peter  and  Joe ;  Biede- 
ger,  father  of  Joe  and  Jack;  Huehner,  father  of  August 
and  Mrs.  Louis  H'uth,  Sr.,  of  San  Antonio ;  Vonflie,  father 
of  Henry  Vonflie,  of  Briar  Branch;  Steinley,  who  has  a 
son  living  in  Dunlay;  John  Buser,  who  has  a  son  living 
in  San  Antonio,  and  family ;  Halde  and  family ;  John 
Kreisle  and  family ;  Walter,  who  has  six  sons  residing  in 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  239 

San  Antonio ;  Alberdie  and  family ;  Drodcour  and  family ; 
Eldise  and  family;  Mangold,  whose  three  sons,  George, 
Jacob  and  August,  reside  in  Medina  County;  Tschier- 
hart,  whose  six  sons,  Emil,  Joe,  Louis,  Nic,  Henry  and 
Sebastian,  reside  in  Medina  County;  Schwendeman  and 
family ;  Dreier  and  family ;  Andrew  Keller  and  family ; 
Jacob  Pippert,  father  of  Jacob,  John,  Fritz,  Dave,  Emil, 
Mrs.  Tuerpe,  and  Mrs.  Zoller;  Zimmerman  and  family; 
Hoak  and  family;  Berry,  father  of  Jack,  Joe  and 
August. 

After  the  town  site  of  Castroville  was  surveyed  into 
lots  and  the  people  were  settled  in  their  new  homes  the 
business  of  its  citizens  was  directed  to  varied  industries. 
The  church,  a  school  house,  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  a  brew- 
ery and  stores,  etc.,  were  built,  and  in  a  few  years  evi- 
dences of  prosperity  were  perceptible  in  the  community. 
The  following  list  will  show  who  were  the  first  business 
and  professional  men  who  located  in  the  village  when  it 
was  a  frontier  settlement: 

The  first  Roman  Catholic  church  and  the  first  Luth- 
eran church  west  of  San  Antonio  were  built  in  Castro- 
ville. 

The  first  Catholic  minister  was  the  Rev.  Father  Dubuis 
and  the  first  Protestant  minister  of  the  Lutheran  denom- 
ination was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Offinger. 

The  first  survey  of  land  west  of  the  Medina  River  was 
made  by  Mr.  John  James,  of  San  Antonio. 

The  first  school  teacher  was  August  Kamp,  who  was 
afterwards  County  Clerk  of  Medina  County  for  fifteen 
years.  He  was  the  father  of  Aug.  Kamp,  Jr.,  the  pres- 
ent County  Clerk  of  said  county. 

The  first  store  and  brewery  was  established  by  Louis 
Huth,  who  was  one  of  the  two  first  Justices  of  the  pre- 
cinct, and  he  was  first  County  Clerk  after  Medina  County 
was  organized. 

The  first  corn  mill  and  cotton  gin  was  owned  and  oper- 
ated by  Louis  Haas,  the  first  Constable  of  the  precinct. 


240  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  first  bakery  and  dance  hall  was  owned  and  con- 
ducted by  Hichling. 

The  first  meat  market  and  boarding  house  was  opened 
by  Mr.  Crust,  the  father-in-law  of  C.  Villemain,  who  is 
San  Antonio's  present  City  Tax  Collector. 

The  first  hotel  was  opened  by  Mr.  Dardie. 

The  first  physician  was  Dr.  Hoffman. 

The  first  lawyers  were  Judge  Noonan  and  Colonel 
Upson. 

The  first  sheriff  of  Medina  County  was  Thomas  B. 
McCall. 

Although  the  name  of  Castro  was  thus  honored  by  the 
people  with  whom  he  was  personally  associated,  and 
though  the  State  of  Texas  has  perpetuated  his  memory 
in  an  act  of  the  legislature  which  gave  his  name  to  one 
of  the  northern  tier  of  counties  in  recognition  of  the  ben- 
efits he  conferred  on  the  Republic  in  the  most  trying  pe- 
riod of  its  existence,  no  effort  has  been  made  to  eulogize 
his  services  to  the  extent  that  they  deserve. 

We  know  what  Stephen  F.  Austin  and  his  colonists  and 
others  did  towards  braving  the  dangers  and  hardships  of 
the  wilderness,  and  afterwards  when  they  secured  their 
freedom  and  established  the  Republic  of  Texas.  Their 
fortitude  and  bravery  deserve  all  honor  and  praise,  and 
the  statesmanship  which  laid  the  foundation  for  a  great 
commonwealth  will  receive  consideration  in  all  ages;  but 
those  who  came  afterward  and  gave  strength  to  the  com- 
munity, as  producers  or  otherwise,  especially  those  who 
placed  themselves  in  the  van  of  civilization  near  the  more 
exposed  western  border  where  they  opened  the  way  for 
others,  should  not  be  forgotten. 

The  most  prominent  of  the  latter  class  was  Henry 
Castro,  and  we  are  constrained  to  believe  that  the  ter- 
ritory west  of  the  Guadalupe  River  is  more  indebted  to 
his  personal  perseverance,  energy,  and  liberal  expenditure 
of  wealth,  than  to  any  other  individual  that  appears  in 
history.  In  a  short  period  after  settling  his  colony  west 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  241 

of  the  Medina  River  he  did  more  towards  promoting  the 
material  prosperity  and  safety  of  the  country  by  giving 
value  to  property  in  that  region  than  had  been  done  in 
the  previous  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  of  its 
occupancy. 

Castro  brought  to  Texas  a  total  of  five  thousand  two 
hundred  desirable  Icolonists,  or,  according  to  another 
statement,  four  hundred  and  eighty-five  families  and 
forty-five  single  men,  on  twenty-seven  ships,  in  five  years, 
and  settled  them  beyond  the  western  limits  of  the  most 
remote  white  settlements,  on  land  granted  him  by  the 
Republic  of  Texas  in  1842,  in  that  portion  now  com;- 
prising  part  of  Medina,  Uvalde,  Frio,  Atascosa,  Bexar, 
McMullen,  LaSalle  and  Zavalla  counties.  These  people 
were  transported  across  the  ocean  and  conveyed  to  their 
destination  at  his  own  expense,  and  he  not  only  complied 
with  his  contract  in  every  particular  with  regard  to  the 
donation  of  land,  but  he  added  forty  acres  and  a  town  lot 
to  the  allowance  of  each  family,  and  assisted  them  out 
of  his  means  in  every  possible  way  until  they  were  able 
to  provide  for  themselves.  He  injected  his  own  spirit 
into  them,  and  encouraged  them  and  others  to  occupy 
the  desirable  wilderness  beyond  until  the  western  frontier 
was  extended  to  the  Nueces  River. 

This  man  was  born  in  France  in  July,  1786,  of  wealth}7 
Hebrew  parents,  and  he  could  claim  a  descent  from  one 
of  the  oldest  Portuguese  families.  He  was  a  soldier  un- 
der Napoleon  until  his  overthrow,  when  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  and  in  1827  he  became  an  American 
citizen.  He  returned  to  France,  in  1838,  and  engaged 
in  the  banking  business  as  a  partner  of  Mr.  Lafitte. 
Later  he  undertook  to  colonize  the  large  grant  of  land  in 
Texas  that  was  awarded  him  at  his  own  solicitation,  after 
exerting  himself  in  General  Henderson's  behalf  to  nego- 
tiate a  loan  of  $7,000,000  in  France  for  the  young  Re- 
public which  interested  him  in  its  fortunes;  and  his 
services  in  that  connection  secured  him  the  honorable  ap- 


242  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

pointment  of  Consul-General  of  the  Republic  of  Texas 
for  the  Kingdom  of  France. 

The  concession  and  distinction  were  conferred  on  ac- 
count of  his  natural  abilities  and  wealth,  which  com- 
manded great  influence  in  commercial  circles  and  which 
were  extended  to  the  government.  He  was  not  an  ordi- 
nary man,  otherwise  he  could  not  have  persuaded  so  many 
persons  to  abandon  their  homes  and  associations  in  the 
old  world  and  take  up  their  abode  in  a  wilderness  among 
savages  with  a  confidence  that  was  based  entirely  on  his 
promises  and  representations. 

In  a  letter  written  to  the  President  of  the  Republic 
of  Texas,  at  Washington-on-the-Brazos,  on  January  14, 
1844,  he  refers  to  serious  obstacles  he  had  encountered 
and  overcome,  and  also  to  the  large  sum  of  money, 
amounting  to  $40,000,  which  he  had  expended  up  to  that 
date.  Castroville  was  not  then  established  and  evidently 
he  distributed  a  much  larger  sum  in  carrying  out  his  en- 
terprise, which,  when  added  to  his  generous  distributions 
to  all  who  needed  assistance,  exhausted  his  means  and 
encumbered  him  with  debts  that  impoverished  him  in  his 
old  age.  He  died  at  Monterey,  in  Mexico,  when  on  his 
way  to  visit  the  graves  of  his  relatives  in  France,  and  not 
one  of  his  immediate  family  is  alive. 

Texas  has  worthily  perpetuated  the  memory  of  many 
of  her  citizens  who  have  conferred  honor  and  benefits  on 
the  commonwealth.  A  similar  sentiment  has  prompted 
communities  in  Texas  to  erect  memorials  to  prominent 
individuals  as  an  evidence  of  gratitude,  and  the  spirit 
that  suggested  them  should  be  encouraged,  because  hun- 
dreds have  and  will  live  who  deserve  such  monuments. 

When  the  descendants  of  the  first  settlers  within  the 
limits  of  Castro's  colony  learn  to  appreciate  Henry 
Castro's  character  and  begin  to  realize  the  importance 
of  his  efforts,  tKey  will  petition  the  State  to  show  him 
reverence  by  removing  his  remains  from  their  obscure 
resting-place  in  a  foreign  land  and  entomb  them  in  the 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  243 

State  cemetery  at  Austin.  Then  perhaps  a  marble  statue 
will  be  erected  in  San  Antonio,  the  metropolis  of  Texas, 
which  has  been  so  greatly  benefitted  by  his  energies  and 
wealth.  When  such  a  movement  is  inaugurated  I  will 
gladly  show  my  respect  for  his  memory  by  contributing 
to  the  fund,  because  of  my  gratitude  for  many  favors 
that  he  conferred  on  my  father,  who,  though  not  one  of 
his  colonists,  was  intimately  associated  with  him. 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

CASTRO'S  land  grant  covered  an  area  of  several 
thousand  square  miles  between  the  Medina  and.  Nueces 
Rivers,  which  bounded  it  on  the  east  and  west.  The 
country  within  these  limits  lies  among  the  foot  hills  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  in  Medina  and  Uvalde  counties,  and 
spreads  out  on  the  plains  below.  Several  spurs  that  jut 
out  from  the  range  of  mountains  further  north  represent 
its  roughest  portion,  but  their  rugged  sides  are  beauti- 
fully clothed  with  evergreens,  and  between  the  elevations 
are  wide  valleys  of  rolling  or  level  lands  covered  with 
succulent  grasses  and  groves  of  forest  trees  in  endless 
variety.  Sparkling  streams  and  rippling  brooks  of  crys- 
tal water  meandered  through  them  and  added  to  the 
charms  of  that  region  until  they  escaped  into  the  open 
country  southward.  The  highlands,  lying  in  plain  view 
a  few  miles  north  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  mark 
the  outlets  of  the  canons  in  which  there  are  now  many 
villages  and  numerous  prosperous  homes  of  farmers  and 
ranchmen. 

Further  southward  the  land  is  rolling  with  occasional 
level  prairies  that  formerly  were  carpeted  with  perennial 
flowers  mingled  with  luxuriant  verdure,  but  now  the 
greater  part  is  covered  with  mesquite  brush  and  oc- 
casional mots  of  live-oak  or  other  timber.  The  country 
was  then  well  watered  by  a  number  of  tributaries  with 
seemingly  an  inexhaustible  flow  of  water  which  emptied 
into  the  river  on  its  borders,  and  all  of  them  were  lined 
with  belts  of  pecan  or  other  large  forest  trees.  The  land 
generally  is  fertile,  and  the  numerous  attractions  that 
the  country  presented  led  many  pioneers  to  settle  there 

244 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  245 

when  the  Indians  were  dangerous.  In  recent  years 
thousands  of  home-seekers  have  bought  up  and  divided 
the  land  that  was  owned  in  large  bodies  by  ranchmen 
and  speculators,  who  have  demonstrated  on  their  smaller 
holdings  that  the  soil  is  unsurpassed  for  agricultural 
purposes.  These  facts  in  connection  with  the  present 
prosperity  of  the  country,  will  be  enlarged  upon  later. 
A  number  of  flourishing  towns  with  substantial  business 
houses,  beautiful  residences,  churches  and  educational  in- 
stitutions, where  the  usual  occupations  are  represented 
and  all  modern  conveniences  have  been  introduced,  are 
found  in  that  region. 

In  addition  to  this  vast  territory  Castro  controlled  a 
tract  of  land  containing  sixteen  leagues,  which  was 
bounded  by  the  Medina  River  on  the  west,  and  fronted 
his  grant  on  the  east  above  and  below  Castroville.  This 
body  of  land  was  secured  from  John  McMullen,  of  San 
Antonio,  through  private  negotiations,  to  prevent  its  oc- 
cupation by  others  who  might  have  come  in  conflict  with 
his  enterprise,  and  it  was  a  part  of  his  scheme  to  colonize 
it  also  after  establishing  the  settlements  under  his 
contract. 

Many  glowing  descriptions  have  been  written  about 
Texas  when  the  country  was  in  a  primitive  condition, 
and  that  part  west  of  the  Medina  River  has  received  its 
share  of  praise.  A  more  attractive  region  did  not  rest 
under  the  dome  of  heaven,  and  as  I  remember  it  when 
in  a  natural  state,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  representa- 
tions so  frequently  made  are  not  exaggerations.  Myriads 
of  wild  horses  roamed  the  prairies  at  will,  deer  were 
everywhere  and  other  game  was  abundant ;  the  clear,  run- 
ning streams  were  full  of  fish,  and  quantities  of  honey  in 
caves  and  hollow  trees  waited  those  who  cared  to  take  it 

A  natural  supposition  suggests  that  with  such  an 
abundance  of  nature's  provisions  at  the  disposal  of 
Castro's  colonists  a  scarcity  of  food  was  impossible;  but 
strange  to  say  they  sometimes  lacked  a  sufficiency  the 


246  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

first  few  years.  The  fact  that  the  new  settlers  had  been 
raised  in  towns  and  thickly  settled  districts  and  knew 
nothing  about  hunting  wild  animals  will  explain  the  sit- 
uation. Besides,  very  few  brought  guns  with  them,  and 
only  a  small  quantity  of  ammunition,  none  of  which  was 
suitable  for  killing  large  game  or  defense  against  In- 
dians. With  the  exception  of  a  few  who  were  in  pros- 
perous circumstances  they  were  destitute  of  money,  con- 
sequently their  only  dependence  for  ammunition  was  on 
the  Rangers,  who  occasionally  gave  them  small  supplies 
until  their  condition  improved.  The  Rangers  also  re- 
lieved their  necessities  by  killing  and  delivering  large 
game,  and  they  also  relied  for  food  on  the  Lipan  and 
Delaware  Indians,  with  whom  they  traded  until  the  former 
became  hostile,  but  of  course  many  helped  themselves 
as  they  gained  experience. 

Even  if  the  emigrants  had  been  well  equipped  they 
could  not  have  been  compared  with  the  American  pioneers 
accustomed  to  frontier  life  and  who  were  expert  shots 
with  the  excellent  rifles  they  always  carried;  therefore 
the  colonists  were  at  every  disadvantage  and  almost  help- 
less, individually  and  as  a  body,  in  their  exposed  situa- 
tion. Castro  had  taken  preliminary  steps  to  protect  his 
people  by  representing  the  situation  to  the  government, 
with  the  result  that  Captain  Jack  Hays,  who  was  sta- 
tioned at  San  Antonio,  was  ordered  to  protect  them  with 
his  company  of  Rangers.  The  efficient  service  they  ren- 
dered kept  the  Comanches  from  destroying  the  settlement 
in  its  infancy,  although  they  continued  their  depredations 
at  intervals. 

My  recollections  of  the  country  extend  back  to  a  period 
when  it  was  very  sparsely  inhabited  by  small  communities 
wide  distances  apart.  In  order  to  convey  a  comprehen- 
sive idea  of  the  subject  I  will  first  locate  each  settlement 
west  of  San  Antonio,  with  the  date  and  names  of  those 
who  made  them,  and  then  I  will  give  similar  data  with 
reference  to  those  north  and  northwest. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  247 

The  first  settlement,  four  miles  west  of  the  city  on  the 
San  Antonio  and  El  Paso  road,  was  made  in  1850,  by 
William  Waldenpalt,  where  Herd  Johnson's  grass  farm 
is  now  situated.  He  started  the  first  dairy  farm  there, 
from  which  the  first  milk  was  sold  in  the  city.  It  was  on 
Leon  prairie,  which  extended  from  the  Alazan  Creek,  near 
San  Antonio,  to  within  one  mile  of  Leon  Creek,  or  about 
five  miles  in  width  from  east  to  west,  and  it  was  between 
ten  and  fifteen  miles  long.  Then  it  was  bare  of  trees 
and  covered  with  native  grasses  that  grew  about  two 
feet  in  height,  but  in  later  times  a  growth  of  mesquite 
brush  made  its  appearance. 

Five  miles  beyond  the  dairy  farm  was  a  settlement  that 
Placito  Olevirra  and  Cetro  made,  in  1844,  on  Leon  Creek, 
shortly  after  Castroville  was  established.  The  latter  was 
the  foreman  of  the  Nat  Lewis  horse  and  cattle  ranch, 
which  was  projected  soon  afterwards  on  Leon  prairie. 

The  Lewis  ranch  became  well  known,  and  the  "  No  " 
brand  of  Don  Louis  al  Pelon,  which  was  a  popular  title 
that  distinguished  the  owner,  was  familiar  to  everyone  in 
west  Texas.  During  the  years  in  which  it  flourished 
many  poor  families  of  settlers  within  fifteen  miles  of  San 
Antonio  earned  a  support  by  milking  the  Lewis  cows 
with  his  consent,  some  of  them  as  many  as  twenty-five 
head.  They  sold  butter  and  cheese  in  the  San  Antonio 
market  and  fattened  their  hogs  on  the  sour  milk.  Until 
1860  the  Lewis  ranch  owned  a  greater  number  of  horses 
and  cattle  than  any  other  in  western  Texas,  and  they 
were  mostly  raised  on  Leon  prairie.  He  and  his  excel- 
lent wife,  who  resided  in  San  Antonio,  were  always  ready 
to  extend  their  hospitality  to  strangers,  and  their  liber- 
ality in  helping  the  poor  was  known  to  me,  because  we 
lived  as  neighbors  in  said  city  for  many  years,  and  they 
were  my  best  friends.  Their  two  sons,  Messrs.  Nat  and 
Dan  Lewis,  are  now  prominent  citizens  in  San  Antonio. 

Five  miles  west  of  Leon  Creek  is  Arroyo  Medio,  which 
was  first  settled  in  1850,  by  Noah  Bowles,  who  was  an 


£48  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

old  friend  of  my  father  and  they  were  neighbors  when 
they  lived  on  Castro's  ranch. 

Four  miles  further  is  Potranco  Creek,  which  was  first 
settled,  in  1850,  near  where  it  empties  in  the  Medina 
River,  by  Billy  Lytle,  a  brother  of  Sam  Lytle  and  an 
uncle  of  John  Lytle,  a  well-known  ranchman  who  owned 
large  herds  of  horses  and  cattle  that  were  recognized  by 
the  L  brand. 

Two  miles  beyond  is  San  Lucas  Springs,  that  was  set- 
tled in  1850  by  the  Adams  family,  represented  by  the 
following  seven  brothers :  John,  Bill,  Dave,  James,  Pete, 
Mart,  and  Henry.  They  also  owned  large  herds  of  horses 
and  cattle  in  the  JA  brand. 

Four  miles  further  west  is  Saus  Creek,  that  was  first 
settled  in  1854*  by  Samuel  Etter,  Sr.,  who  engaged  in 
farming  as  a  business,  and  also  raised  cattle  on  a  small 
scale. 

On  the  same  creek,  and  adjoining  Mr.  Etter's,  was  my 
father's  farm,  which  he  settled  in  1855,  where  he  resided 
until  the  date  of  his  death. 

Four  miles  beyond  is  the  town  of  Castroville,  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Medina  River,  that  was  settled  in  1844. 

Ten  miles  west  of  Castroville  on  the  San  Antonio  and 
El  Paso  road  is  Hondo  Creek,  where  a  settlement  was 
made,  in  1855,  by  the  Harper,  Burnet,  Benian,  and  Mc- 
Lamore  families. 

Four  miles  above,  on  the  same  creek,  is  the  town  of 
Quihi,  where  the  first  settlement  was  made,  in  1846,  by 

Louis  Bailey,  Jack  Reef,  Sardoff,  John  Rieden, 

the  father  of  Frank  Rieden  of  San  Antonio;  Baptist 
Schmidt,  Amb.  Reitzer,  B.  Bonekamp,  G.  Garsting,  H. 

Wilpert,  H.  Gerdes,  Jans  Sievers,  B.  Brucks,  Bick- 

man,  F.  Bauer, Brinkhoff, Opus, Denters, 

John  Toucher,  H.  Schneider, Rensing, Gasper, 

Eisenhauer,  Louis  Korn,  Rudolph  Charobiny,  and 

Dr.  Acke,  whose  descendants  reside  in  San  Antonio. 

Three  miles  west  of  Quihi  is  the  town  of  Vanderburg, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  249 

that  was  first  settled,  in  1847,  by  Zavier  Vanz,  

Mumme, White,  G.  Bridge, Stegler,  and 

Decker,  whose  entire  family,  with  the  exception  of  two 
sons,  Joseph  and  Carlo,  died  from  eating  wild  lettuce,  and 
Carlo  was  raised  to  manhood  by  my  father  in  his  family. 

Four  miles  southwest  of  Vanderburg,  on  Worthy 
Creek,  is  the  town  of  New  Fountain,  where  a  settlement 
was  first  made  in  1845,  by  the  Leinaweber,  Grossenbacher, 
and  Goehring  families,  all  of  whom  have  representatives 
now  residing  in  San  Antonio. 

Ten  miles  west  of  Hondo  Creek,  on  the  San  Antonio 
and  El  Paso  road,  is  the  old  town  of  D'Hanis,  that  was 
first  settled  in  1847  by  Nic  Ney,  John  Ney,  the  father 
of  Joe  Ney,  the  present  sheriff  of  Medina  County;  Don- 
ald French, Finger, Hagemueller, Barto, 

Joe,  Nic  and  Sebastian  Wipff,  Mike,  Wolff, 

Mathias  Koch,  father  of  Mathias  Peter,  John,  Ja- 
cob, and  Steve  Koch;  Braden,  Carr, 

John  Rieddenmann,  Peter  Britz,  John  Schreiber,  John 
Raiber,  Antone  Ludwig,  John  Ruedinger,  Joseph  Wol- 
lehker,  Anton  Strausser,  Frank  Bihl,  John  Nehr,  Joseph 
Reudinger,  J.  B.  Deckard,  Dr.  Marrell,  John  and  Chris. 

Schumacher,  Ben  Grosenbacher,  Riesmann,  

Kaufmann,  Joseph  Echtile,  John  B.  Zeher,  August  Zeher, 
Leonard  Esser,  Peter  Koch,  O.  W.  Koch,  Joe  Rieber,  Joe 
Wippf,  John  and  Austin  Gardieser,  Herbert  Weynand, 
John  and  Austin  Lutz,  Leopold  Zuercher,  Joe  Zuercher, 
Jack  Souter,  Tob  Souter,  Richard  Riley,  Paul  Brotz, 
Joe  Richarz,  and  Martin  Nester. 

Two  miles  further  west  on  said  road  is  Saco  Creek,  that 
was  first  settled  in  1850  by  Mr.  Reuter,  the  father-in-law 
of  the  well-known  stockman,  Fritz  Rhode,  and  in  the  same 
neighborhood  Tobe  Reiley,  John  Reinhart,  and  Captain 
Richarz  established  themselves. 

Fort  Lincoln  was  established  in  1850  on  Saco  Creek, 
two  miles  from  the  old  town  of  D'Hanis.  It  was  named 
for  General  Lincoln  of  the  American  Revolution.  Major 


250  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Longstreet  of  the  United  States  Army,  who  was  after- 
wards a  famous  general  in  the  war  of  secession,  was  its 
last  commander. 

A  settlement  was  made  in  1850  on  Ranchera  Creek 
three  miles  east  of  Sabinal  station  by  John  Davenport, 
John  Bowles,  and  two  brothers,  John  and  Ross  Kenedy. 

The  next  settlement  was  on  Sabinal  Creek,  that  was 
made  in  1850  by  Warren  Allen's  and  George  Hammer's 
families. 

Four  miles  beyond  is  Blanco  Creek,  where,  in  1858,  the 
Wish  family  settled. 

Eight  miles  beyond  is  the  Rio  Frio,  where,  in  1854,  the 
Sanders  family  settled. 

Eight  miles  beyond  is  the  town  of  Uvalde,  that  was 
first  settled  in  1850  by  Mr.  Bowles,  the  father  of  Duck 

and  Peter  Bowles,  John  Weimiller,  Pullion,  

Greiner,  and  Nance. 

Four  miles  below  Uvalde  was  Fort  Inge,  on  Leon  Creek, 
that  was  established  by  the  United  States  government  in 
1850  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier,  where  a  company 
of  dragoons  was  stationed. 

The  next  and  furthest  settlement  towards  the  west 
until  after  the  Civil  War  was  at  Fort  Clark,  that  was 
established  by  the  United  States  government  in  1856,  on 
the  north  side  of  Las  Moras  Creek,  fifty  miles  from 
Uvalde. 

On  the  east  side  of  Las  Moras  Creek,  opposite  Fort 
Clark,  is  the  town  of  Brackett,  which  was  settled  in  1852, 
by  James  Connell,  Mrs.  Rose,  Henry  Rudolph,  and  the 
Brackett  family. 

Fort  Ewell  was  also  established  by  the  United  States 
government  in  1850,  on  the  Nueces  River,  about  ninety 
miles  below  Uvalde,  now  in  La  Salle  County. 

A  settlement  known  as  San  Francisco  was  made  in  1850 
on  San  Francisco  Creek,  west  of  the  Medina  River,  six 
miles  in  a  southwest  direction  from  Castroville,  below  the 
San  Antonio  and  El  Paso  road,  by  Mr.  Haas,  the  father 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  251 

of  Valentine,  Philip,  Fritz,  and  George  Haas,  and  their 
sister,  who  afterwards  married  Mr.  Benderley;  Mr.  Von- 
flie,  the  father  of  Henry  Vonflie  of  Briar  Branch ;  also  by 

Roatsman,  Blase  Meyer,  Cristiles,  

Bater,  and Haller.  This  settlement  was  repeatedly 

raided  by  Indians  and  many  settlers  were  killed. 

A  settlement  was  made  in  1850  where  Devine  station 
is  now  situated,  which  is  eighteen  miles  below  Castroville, 
on  the  International  &  Great  Northern  Railroad.  It  was 
named  in  honor  of  Judge  Devine,  the  father  of  Netterville, 
Albert,  and  Joe  Devine  of  San  Antonio.  Of  the  follow- 
ing settlers  Big-foot  Wallace  was  the  first,  then  came 
Tom  Galbreth,  Thomas  A.  James,  Lou  Moore,  Gip  and 
Bee  Tilley,  J.  W.  Winter,  West  Davidson,  James  Long, 
George  and  James  Crawford,  Reese  Moore,  W.  M.  Brom- 
lett,  George  McCombs,  John  Craig,  Tobias  Long,  Holly 
Laxon,  and  Rev.  Newton.  Big-foot  Wallace  claimed  that 
he  built  the  first  log  cabin  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Me- 
dina River,  ten  miles  south  of  Castroville,  four  years  be- 
fore it  was  established. 

Five  miles  below  Castroville  a  settlement  was  made  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Medina  River  in  1848  by  the  father 

of  Emil  and  Louis  Smith,  in  company  with Berges, 

Trawalter,  John  Lisburg, Miller, Brown, 

and Cole. 

In  1845  a  settlement  was  made  by  my  father  on  land 
known  as  Castro's  corner,  that  was  also  known  as  Castro's 
ranch,  in  a  bend  on  the  east  side  of  the  Medina  River, 
six  miles  above  Castroville,  and  his  was  the  most  remote 
white  man's  habitation  in  that  direction;  but  he  was  not 
one  of  Castro's  colonists,  though  he  lived  there  eight  years 
and  then  removed  to  land  he  bought  on  Sans  Creek. 

Four  miles  above  Castroville  were  the  farm  and  saw- 
mill of  Charles  de  Montel,  the  father  of  Ed.  de  Montel 
of  Hondo  City,  where  he  settled  in  1846.  The  Laman, 
Hagerly,  and  Zinsmeier  families  settled  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood. 


252  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

The  Harby  settlement,  which  was  situated  eight  miles 
above  Castroville  on  the  Medina  River,  was  made  between 
1847  and  1850  by  the  Harby,  Spattle,  and  Koenig  fam- 
ilies, and  afterwards  the  Wusbach,  Tuerpe,  Sedar,  Ber- 
ley,  Felter,  Dr.  Bohm,  Monier,  and  Villemain  families  set- 
tled in  the  same  neighborhood. 

About  all  of  the  settlements  west  of  San  Antonio  have 
been  noticed  that  were  in  existence  before  1860 ;  but  there 
were  others  in  the  Fisher  and  Miller  grant,  northeast  and 
north  of  said  city,  that  were  made  by  German  immigrants 
sent  out  by  an  incorporated  society  in  Germany  in  charge 
of  Prince  Salms-Braunfels,  to  whose  efforts  the  colony 
is  principally  indebted  for  its  success. 

On  Good  Friday  in  1845  Prince  Salms-Braunfels 
crossed  the  Guadalupe  River  with  an  escort  of  a  few  men 
and  selected  the  present  site  on  which  the  beautiful  city 
that  bears  his  name  has  since  been  built,  where  he  located 
his  first  colonists.  The  names  in  the  following  list  rep- 
resent a  few  of  those  he  introduced  between  that  date  and 
1850: 

F.  Heidemeyer,  F.  Salmuller,  W.  Kracke,  Chris.  Hans, 
A.  Sauerborn,  Carl  von  Domersmark,  George  Klappen- 
bach,  Gus.  Hoffman  (the  first  Mayor  of  New  Braunfels 
and  a  colonel  in  the  Confederate  Army),  Dr.  Theo. 
Koester,  Nic  Zink,  Carl  Thomas,  H.  Wilcke,  Geo.  Ulrich, 
F.  Holekamp,  L.  Vogel,  Theo.  Sterzing,  Ad.  Benner, 
Peter  Home,  G.  Remley,  Thomas  Schwab,  Albert  Dreiss, 
father  of  Adolph  and  Edward  Dreiss ;  Nic  Zircher,  Silves- 
ter Simon,  E.  Kaderli,  E.  Scherz,  P.  Margerle,  E.  Wink- 
ler,  Gab.  Sacherer,  and  E.  O.  Meusebach,  father  of  Ernest, 
Otto,  and  Max  Meusebach ;  George  and  Philip  Obert. 

Sisterdale  was  settled  by  a  colony  of  German  immi- 
grants, in  1847,  and  it  was  known  as  the  Latin  settle- 
ment, because  they  were  all  familiar  with  the  Latin  lan- 
guage. It  was  composed  of  the  following  members: 

Edward  Degner  (afterwards  a  member  of  the  United 
States  Congress),  Professor  Kapp,  Dr.  Hertzberg,  Nico- 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  253 

las  Zinks,  Mr.  Baer,  Julius  Dressel,  Dr.  Runge,  A.  Sim- 
mering, Hugo  Klocke,  A.  Neuber,  O.  Neuber,  Kuhler, 
Ernst.  Flack,  Philip  Braubach,  Fritz  Degner,  Joe  Moses, 
Mr.  Donaup,  and  Mr.  Langbein,  father  of  August,  Carl, 
and  Gustave  Langbein. 

Fredericksburg  was  laid  out  in  May,  1846,  by  John 
O.  Meusebach,  and  settled  by  B.  Blum,  William,  August, 
and  Daniel  Arhilger;  also  by  Lawrence  Schmidt,  Fritz 
and  Henry  Lohde,  Heinrich  and  John  Behrens,  Mrs.  Carl 
Schwarz,  Heinrich  Strackbein,  Mrs.  John  Turst,  Mrs. 
Steubing,  Martin  Heinemann,  Mrs.  Anton  Novian,  Anton 
and  John  Klein,  Mrs.  Leyendecker,  Mrs.  Young,  Carl 
Megrih,  Ernst.  Besler,  Mrs.  Peter  Boun,  and  L.  and  H. 
Wahrmund,  father  and  uncle  of  Otto  Wahrmund. 

Boerne  was  laid  out  for  a  town  in  1851,  by  Mr.  Deussen, 
who  was  the  first  hardware  merchant  in  San  Antonio,  and 
Judge  .James,  the  father  of  Vinton,  Sidney,  Scott,  and 
J.  H.  James,  who  is  now  Judge  of  the  Fourth  Court  of 
Civil  Appeals  of  Texas.  But  before  that  date,  in  1847, 
the  following  persons  had  settled  in  that  vicinty:  Adam 
Vogt,  Leopold  Schuz,  Dr.  Ferdinand  Herff,  Fritz  Sauer, 

and  Kreuer.  In  1849  they  were  joined  by  Jacob, 

Thomas,  and  Peterson  Sasuma,  and  Judge  G.  W.  Ken- 
dall; and  afterwards  came  Fritz  and  Henry  Wendler, 
August  Staffer,  Matthews  Banman,  Captain  Adolph  and 
Fritz  Zoeller,  Julius  Faber,  John  Schartz,  Joseph  Berg- 
man, Charles  Dienger,  Jacob  Deussen,  Guenther  Froebel, 
Franz  Werner,  Bernhard  Hagerman,  Judge  Brown,  and 
Mr.  Spitz. 

Bandera  was  settled  in  1850,  and  among  the  first  were 
P.  D.  Sauer,  R.  H.  and  DeWitt  Burney,  -  -  Milstead, 

Odum,  and  Macon  Gillis.  A  saw-mill  owned  by 

Charles  de  Montel  was  located  on  the  present  site  of  the 
town  before  1854,  which  turned  the  fine  cypress  timber 
in  that  vicinity  into  lumber  and  shingles.  In  1853  Amasa 
Clark  settled  there,  and  a  few  years  later  came  August 
Pengenot,  V.  and  Auten  Audewald,  John  and  Adam 


254,  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Adamietz,  Charles  Montague,  T.  L.  Miller,  Mrs.  D.  Obor- 
ski,  G.  W.  Lewis,  Mrs.  Mahala  Jones,  J.  P.  Rodrigues, 
Mr.  Klappenbach,  Mr.  Dahlmann,  and  Captain  Reese's 
family. 

Comfort  was  laid  out  in  1851  by  Ernest  Alt  gelt,  who 
conducted  the  first  store  and  also  a  saw-mill  near  by. 
Mr.  Altgelt  was  the  father  of  H.  H.  Altgelt  of  New 
Braunfels,  and  George  C.,  August,  and  Ernest  Altgelt, 
of  San  Antonio.  Mr.  Altgelt  was  a  very  prominent  at- 
torney and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him,  and 
died  in  1878. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  settlers  of  Comfort: 

Ernest  Altgelt;  Theo.  Wiedenfeld;  W.  C.  Boerner; 
Wm.  Heuermann;  Fritz  Goldbeck;  Theodore  Goldbeck; 
Mr.  Ingenhuett,  father  of  Peter,  Thomas,  and  Martin 
Ingenhuett;  H.  Allerkamp;  Louis  Boerner;  Schelbhase 
and  family;  Fritz  Holekamp;  Mr.  H'artenbrock ;  Mr. 
Hinneber;  C.  W.  Telgmann;  Mr.  Harms;  Mr.  Stecher; 
Mr.  Timpke ;  Hy.  Werder ;  H.  Liesman ;  Mr.  Karger ;  O. 
Roggenbucke;  Ed.  Steves,  father  of  Albert,  Ernest,  and 
Edward  Steves ;  Otto  Brinkmann ;  Geo.  Holekamp ; 
Charles  Herbst ;  W.  Fellbaum,  father  of  Charlie  and  Er- 
nest Fellbaum;  Schladore;  H.  Stieler;  Dr.  Melis;  Mr. 
Brunks ;  A.  Bruns ;  H.  Boerner ;  John  Horner ;  L.  Breit- 
enbach ;  Mr.  Schimmelpfening ;  Herman  Wille ;  Justus  Se- 
ginnis;  Mr.  Johns ;  Paul  Hanisch;  E.  Serger;  Mr.  Her- 
der ;  O.  Rosenthal ;  C.  and  E.  Vetterlein ;  Mr.  Schwethem ; 
H.  Schulz;  H.  Witbold;  Mr.  Schmidt;  E.  Schilling;  F. 
Perner;  C.  Flach;  Mr.  Joseph;  Jacob  Kuechler;  Louis 
Berger;  Fritz  Sauer;  Dr.  Pfeiffer;  V.  Pfeiffer;  A.  Faltin; 
Paul  and  Otto  Bellow;  L.  Strohecker;  H.  .Seidenstricker; 
Emil  Oberwalter;  Chris.  Boerner;  and  M.  Lindner. 

A  party  of  Mormons  drifted  into  the  country  from 
Missouri  in  1854,  and  stopped  first  on  Verde  Creek,  but 
soon  after  they  moved  to  Bandera,  where  they  remained 
a  short  time  before  settling  at  a  place  still  known  as 
"  Mormon  Camp,"  a  few  miles  below  Bandera. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  255 

The  following  families  settled  on  the  Salado,  before 

1850:  Ackermann,  Gembler,  Ries,  and  Eisenhauer; 

Thos.  Applewhite,  Ross  Houston,  Craighead,  Clai- 

borne  Rector,  "  Uncle  Billy  "  Evans,  and  J.  H.  Polly,  on 
the  Cibolo;  and  Harrison  Pressnall,  John,  Jesse,  and 
Stephen  Applewhite,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Medina. 

The  Indians  were  very  bad  and  made  raids  on  the  un- 
protected settlements  about  Bandera  at  regular  intervals 
until  1855,  when  Governor  Pease  made  an  effort  to  check 
them  by  authorizing  the  citizens  on  the  frontier  to  organ- 
ize themselves  into  minute  companies  under  a  provision 
which  stipulated  that  they  should  receive  pay  for  actual 
services  performed.  The  same  year  a  company  of  infan- 
try was  stationed  by  the  Federal  government  on  Verde 
Creek,  but  the  absurdity  of  foot  soldiers  undertaking  to 
cope  with  the  wild  nomads  of  the  plains  soon  became  ap- 
parent, and  they  were  relieved  the  following  year  by  a 
company  of  dragoons,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Palmer,  who  erected  the  necessary  buildings,  and  Camp 
Verde  became  a  permanent  station. 

The  Indians  were  not  deterred  by  the  preparations  to 
resist  them,  but  continued  their  murderous  and  thieving 
raids  as  before,  until  the  more  timid  settlers  abandoned 
the  frontier  through  fear  of  death  and  the  horrors  of 
captivity.  These  conditions  continued,  in  violation  of 
the  Constitution,  which  required  the  United  States  to 
protect  its  citizens,  until  the  State  of  Texas  undertook 
to  shield  them  in  1861  by  placing  a  regiment  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  settlements,  which  kept  back  the  marauding 
savages  and  insured  the  safety  of  that  region  during  the 
following  four  years. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

CASTRO'S  colonists  were  not  molested  by  Indians  during 
the  first  two  years  after  Castroville  was  established. 
Immediately  after  that  event  Castro  entered  into  a  treaty 
with  the  Comanches,  which  placed  them  on  friendly  terms, 
but  in  1846  outside  white  men  killed  several  of  that  tribe 
and  the  settlers  were  made  to  suffer  through  a  series  of 
years  for  that  act  of  indiscretion.  The  Lipan  Indians 
who  occupied  Castro's  grant  were  very  friendly  with  his 
people  until  one  of  the  tribe  was  killed  by  a  discharged 
Ranger  in  a  drunken  frolic,  for  which  reason  they  became 
bitter  foes  of  the  white  race.  They  removed  in  a  body 
to  Mexico,  where  they  occupied  a  mountainous  country 
in  Coahuila  without  the  consent  of  that  government,  and 
thereafter  they  continually  depredated  on  the  frontier 
settlements  of  Texas. 

The  New  Braunfels  and  Darmstadt  colonies  were  more 
fortunate,  because  the  treaty  that  was  made  in  their  be- 
half by  Meusebach,  Spies,  and  Von  Koll,  with  the  Co- 
manches, in  1847,  on  the  Verein  Shegal,  or  Union  Hill, 
in  said  town,  was  not  violated.  But  for  the  concession 
of  land  lying  between 'the  Llano  and  San  Saba  rivers  the 
colonists  would  have  been  exterminated,  and  on  that  ac- 
count Baron  von  Meusebach  was  called  the  savior  of 
Fredericksburg. 

The  Texas  Rangers  proved  themselves  faithful  guard- 
ians and  kept  the  Indians  under  restraint  for  two  years, 
but  when  Captain  Jack  Hays  raised  a  regiment  of 
Rangers,  in  1846,  to  serve  with  the  United  States  army 
in  the  invasion  of  Mexico,  many  of  the  most  prominent 
Indian  fighters  of  the  frontier  enlisted  under  him.  The 

256 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  257 

entire  western  portion  of  the  State  was  practically  un- 
protected, and  during  his  absence  the  scattered  settle- 
ments in  every  direction  around  San  Antonio  were  exposed 
to  the  ravages  of  wild  Indians,  who  availed  themselves  of 
the  opportunity  to  vent  their  vengeance  without  re- 
straint. They  did  not  confine  their  attacks  to  the  exposed 
border  region  only,  but  actually  invested  San  Antonio 
with  a  display  of  boldness,  and  even  entered  the  town, 
where  they  killed  several  inhabitants  on  the  Plaza. 

Under  such  circumstances  the  inoffensive  people  in  ex- 
posed situations  were  compelled  to  resort  to  every  avail- 
able means  for  self-protection,  and  it  was  only  their  cease- 
less watchfulness  and  precautions  that  saved  them  from 
destruction.  During  that  period,  and  prior  to  1850, 
many  persons  were  brutally  murdered,  though  it  has  only 
been  possible  to  get  the  names  of  a  few  of  those  that 
were  killed;  but  the  people  were  poor  and  they  had  few 
animals,  consequently  the  plunder  the  marauders  secured 
was  light. 

After  the  settlements  extended  further  west  the  pioneers 
were  not  only  exposed  to  depredations  from  the  Co- 
manches,  but  they  were  constantly  harassed  by  the 
Lipans  and  other  implacable  foes  from  Mexico.  These 
enemies  were,  perhaps,  partly  composed  of  remnants  of 
tribes  who  were  exiles  from  their  ancient  homes  and  sacred 
associations,  after  centuries  of  warfare  with  Anglo- 
Americans  in  the  east,  and  an  intense  hatred  governed 
their  actions  towards  the  white  race.  When  an  occasion 
offered  to  avenge  their  past  wrongs  after  finding  a  refuge 
in  a  foreign  land,  they  made  incursions  across  the  Rio 
Grande  to  the  settlements  in  Texas  with  a  secrecy  and 
celerity  that  defied  opposition.  There  they  stealthily 
committed  a  series  of  revolting  crimes  before  escaping 
with  the  plunder  of  their  victims,  and  often  with  captured 
children  and  many  stolen  horses,  to  their  strongholds  in 
the  mountainous  regions  of  Mexico,  where  they  were  safe 
from  pursuit. 


258  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

About  fifteen  small  settlements  only,  representing  a  few 
families  in  each,  had  been  able  to  establish  themselves 
west  of  the  Medina  River  in  the  first  eight  years  after 
Castroville  was  located,  several  of  which  were  made  by 
Americans  in  the  last  three  years  of  that  period,  who 
managed  to  maintain  themselves  by  fighting  frequent  bat- 
tles. The  Federal  government  was  dilatory  about  guard- 
ing the  frontier  after  Texas  was  admitted  into  the  Union, 
and  five  years  passed  before  the  State  received  the  inade- 
quate protection  afforded  by  the  establishments  at  Forts 
Inge,  Ewell,  Clark,  McKavitt,  Concho,  Lincoln,  and  Camp 
Verde,  which  attracted  many  people  to  the  country.  Ex- 
perience proved  that  the  small  companies  at  those  points 
could  neither  suppress  the  Indians  nor  prevent  their  raids, 
consequently  the  settlers  in  exposed  situations  were 
obliged  to  depend  on  themselves,  with  the  aid  of  a  few 
companies  of  gallant  Rangers  in  the  service  of  the  State, 
and  the  dangers  constantly  increased. 

These  enemies  usually  entered  the  country  on  foot, 
about  the  full  of  the  moon,  and  prowled  through  the  set- 
tlements in  search  of  horses  on  which  to  mount  themselves, 
and  then  they  collected  others  in  large  herds,  with  the 
intention  of  driving  them  out  of  the  country.  When  the 
frontiersmen  discovered  their  presence,  which,  very  often, 
was  not  done  until  some  bloody  crime  had  been  perpe- 
trated, runners  were  sent  out  to  collect  all  the  available 
fighting  men  at  a  designated  place,  where  they  embodied 
themselves  under  a  chosen  leader  and  pursued  the  ma- 
rauders with  untiring  energy.  When  overtaken,  no  mercy 
was  shown  by  either  side,  and  many  bloody  battles  were 
fought,  in  which  the  white  men  were  generally  victorious. 
In  that  way  retributive  justice  was  inflicted,  but  fre- 
quently the  raiders  escaped  across  the  Rio  Grande,  or 
northward,  with  large  numbers  of  stolen  horses. 

The  troops  at  the  United  States  forts  were  commanded 
by  efficient  officers,  and  they  performed  the  duties  assigned 
them  with  diligence,  but  their  services  generally  were  in- 


A  TEXAS   PIONEER  359 

efficient  because  the  Dragoons  were  mounted  on  large, 
heavy,  Missouri-raised  horses  that  were  too  clumsy  for 
the  duties  required  of  them.  When  in  pursuit  of  the 
small,  hardy,  and  active  native  animals  that  the  Indians 
rode,  which  had  great  vitality  and  were  accustomed  to 
hardships  of  every  kind,  the  soldiers  were  usually  outdis- 
tanced and  the  raiders  escaped.  Nevertheless,  their  pres- 
ence inspired  confidence  and  helped  to  settle  up  the  coun- 
try, and  on  many  occasions  they  performed  efficient  serv- 
ice, or  their  deficiencies  were  supplied  by  companies  of 
Texas  Rangers,  which  from  time  to  time  were  raised  by 
the  State  of  Texas  for  the  purpose  of  effectually  guard- 
ing the  frontier. 

Through  a  period  of  ten  years  prior  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Civil  War  the  whole  western  border  region  of 
Texas  was  a  scene  of  rapine  and  bloodshed  perpetrated 
by  Indians  and  outlaws  from  Mexico,  which  that  govern- 
ment was  unable  to  prevent,  and  which  the  United  States, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  exert  its  powers  for  that  purpose, 
took  no  steps  to  suppress.  The  most  daring  and  das- 
tardly acts  of  outlawry  were  committed  until  a  large  area 
of  country  was  laid  waste  on  the  lower  Rio  Grande,  in 
which,  according  to  the  official  report  of  Major  Heintzel- 
man,  of  the  United  States  army,  "  there  was  not  an 
American  or  any  property  of  an  American  that  was  left 
to  be  destroyed  " ;  and  many  Mexicans,  citizens  of  Texas, 
were  likewise  robbed  of  their  possessions.  "  Their  horses 
and  cattle  were  driven  into  Mexico  and  there  sold — a  cow 
with  a  calf  by  her  side  for  one  dollar." 

These  and  other  acts  of  defiance  and  robbery  were 
committed  by  a  lawless  element  who  have  been  identified, 
whose  operations  were  confined  to  that  region  and  along 
the  border  about  El  Paso.  Between  these  two  sections 
of  country  the  Indians  depredated  more  frequently  than 
elsewhere,  and  the  record  of  murders  they  committed  in 
those  years  will  show  that  they  penetrated  to  the  interior 
within  thirty  miles  of  San  Antonio  on  the  north,  south, 


260  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

and  west,  where  Federal  troops  were  stationed  and  State 
Rangers  always  were  in  the  field  to  oppose  them. 

The  Indians  made  but  few  predatory  incursions  during 
the  war  of  secession,  and  the  frontier  was  remarkably 
free  from  their  attacks,  although  it  was  not  always  ex- 
empt from  raids  and  at  several  points  severe  engagements 
took  place.  This  immunity  was  secured  by  a  regiment  of 
cavalry,  that  was  raised  by  the  secession  government  of 
Texas,  in  1861,  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier.  The 
companies  were  stationed  at  intervals  along  the  outskirts 
of  the  settlements  from  the  Rio  Grande  to  Red  River, 
and  scouts  constantly  rode  between  the  stations  to  watch 
for  Indian  trails  going  into  or  returning  from  the  settle- 
ments. This  regiment,  after  serving  the  State  one  year, 
was  turned  over  to  the  Confederate  government,  and  it 
was  retained  in  that  service  until  1864. 

The  constant  movement  of  troops  along  the  border  and 
the  vigilance  that  was  observed  in  all  quarters  kept  them 
quiet.  When  the  Civil  War  closed,  these  restraints  were 
removed,  and  shortly  afterwards  marauding  bands  of 
outlaws  and  hostile  savages  resumed  their  depredations. 
They  not  only  harassed  the  border  settlements,  but  fre- 
quently penetrated  the  interior  to  within  fifty  miles  of 
San  Antonio. 

The  conditions  prevailing  at  that  time  throughout  that 
large  territory  are  expressed  in  a  letter,  written  by  Gov- 
ernor Throckmorton,  on  September  29,  1866,  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  of  the  United  States,  in  which  he  says: 

"  The  frontier  is  suffering  great  devastation.  Murders, 
rapine,  and  the  most  revolting  outrages  are  of  daily  oc- 
currence. Unless  the  government  will  send  sufficient  and 
immediate  protection,  the  State  will  be  compelled  to 
undertake  it,  without  a  dollar  in  the  State  Treasury  to 
defray  the  necessary  expenditures." 

When  the  Federal  government  failed  to  send  troops  to 
the  border  in  compliance  with  the  request  made  by  the 
Governor  of  Texas,  the  State  Legislature  passed  an  act 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  261 

authorizing  him  to  call  one  thousand  men  into  service  to 
protect  the  frontier  settlements  for  a  period  of  twelve 
months.  Three  battalions  of  Texas  Rangers  were  raised 
accordingly,  under  a  provision  which  required  every  vol- 
unteer to  furnish  his  own  arms,  horses  and  necessary 
equipments,  and  this  little  Texas  army  performed  efficient 
service  in  the  field,  under  amended  acts  of  the  Legislature, 
until  the  enemies  of  civilization  on  the  frontier  of  Texas 
were  suppressed. 

The  following  extract  from  the  exhaustive  report  of 
Adjutant-General  W.  H.  King,  referring  to  the  latter  pe- 
riod, says :  "  The  disturbed  condition  of  the  country,  the 
lack  of  a  stable  and  permanent  State  government,  the 
widely  scattered  and  helpless  condition  of  the  border  set- 
tlements, the  absence  of  mail  facilities  or  other  means  of 
easy  communication,  and  the  small  number  of  newspapers 
then  in  the  State,  all  united  to  make  it  nearly  impossible, 
in  many  instances,  to  get  specific  information  in  regard 
to  Indian  raids  and  depredations,  even  though  it  was  pos- 
itively known  that  the  border  was  being  scourged  by  such 
raids.  In  this  way  and  from  these  causes  scores  of  mur- 
ders and  outrages  in  the  dark  and  bloody  past  have  found 
no  place  in  the  written  pages  of  Texas  history,  though 
leaving  ruined  homes,  aching  hearts,  tearful  eyes,  and 
frightful  memories  as  evidences  of  their  dread  reality. 
The  history  of  Texas  for  almost  forty  years  shows  an  al- 
most continuous  state  of  warfare  between  her  people  and 
the  blood-thirsty  devils  of  the  .  .  .  Indian  race  along 
her  western  and  southern  borders.  Many  counties  that 
had  organized  and  were  becoming  populous  before  the 
Civil  War,  were  depopulated  by  these  Indian  forays,  and 
the  whole  line  of  frontier  settlements  was  kept  for  years 
in  a  state  of  mind  alternating  between  fear  and  fury  by 
these  incessant  predatory  attacks. 

"  The  Comanches,  Sioux,  and  Kiowas  in  their  raids 
would  follow  down  the  Red  River,  cross  into  the  north- 
western counties  and  ravage  the  sparsely  settled  section 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

of  the  northwestern  part  of  the  State.  They  even  car- 
ried their  depredations  into  the  more  thickly  settled  parts. 
The  Kickapoos  and  Lipans,  from  the  secure  camping 
ground  in  Mexico,  made  periodical  raids  into  Texas, 
crossing  the  Rio  Grande  above  Eagle  Pass  generally. 
These  hostile  bands  frequently  traversed  the  entire  south- 
western section  of  the  State,  murdering  the  white  settlers 
and  pillaging  wherever  they  went." 

A  corroboration  of  these  statements  is  partially  veri- 
fied in  the  following  evidence,  and  if  it  was  possible  to 
procure  a  complete  list  of  the  killed,  the  destruction  of 
human  life  west  of  the  Guadalupe  River  during  the  years 
enumerated  would  be  increased  enormously. 

1843.  In  the  battle  in  Bandera  Pass,  seven  miles  above 
Bandera,  5  of  Capt.  Hays'  Rangers  were  killed. 

1844.  An  Irishman,   one  of  the  Hays  Rangers,  was 
killed  in  the  Nueces  canon,  name  unknown. 

1844.  Z.  Rhien  was  the  first  of  Castro's  colonists  that 
was  killed,  48  miles  southwest  of  San  Antonio. 

1845.  Wesley  Deer,  one  of  Capt.  Wax-field's  Rangers, 

in  Sabinal  canon ; Heck,  a  Ranger,  one  mile  west  of 

"  Sunset "   railroad   crossing   over   Sabinal   on   El   Paso 
road;  an  unknown  Ranger,  one  of  Capt.  Walker's  com- 
pany, near  Sandy  branch,  in  Medina  County ;  Noah  Man- 
gum,  a  Ranger,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Leona,  ten  miles 
below  Uvalde. 

1846.  F.  H.  Gulled,  Vincent  and  Joe  Jonnes,  and  Joe 
Bessale,  the  first  of  the  Castroville  settlement  on  the  Me- 
dina River,  seven  miles  above  Castroville. 

1847.  Mr.    Meyer,   by   Kickapoo    and   Lipan    Indians 
near  Quihi. 

1849.  Two  men  with  Dr.  Lyon's  wagons  at  Deadman's 
Pass. 

1850-1860.  The  following  persons  from  Boerne  and 
Comfort  were  killed  by  Indians  in  these  ten  years :  Stahl, 
Grober,  Mikel,  Henrich,  H.  Kensing  and  wife,  H.  Runge, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  263 

Dunlop,  Peter  Metzger  and  daughter,  Taylor,  Joy,  and 
Gusta  Schumann. 

1851.  Seven    men,    near   Fort    Ewell,    on    the   Nueces 
River,  when  a  U.  S.  government  train  was  captured;  one 
of  them  was  August  Sartor,  aged  18  years,  a  brother  of 
Alex  Sartor,  a  prominent  jeweler  of  San  Antonio;  Lieut. 
Hollibird,  a  United  States  dragoon,  below  Laredo ;  Ad. 
Gillespie,  of  Ford's  Rangers,  between  Fort  Merrel  and  the 
Rio  Grande;  Baker  Barton,  in  a  battle  fought  by  Lt. 
Buries  on  25  miles  from  Laredo. 

1852.  A   Mexican  mail-rider   and   several  persons  be- 
tween Corpus  Christi  and  Laredo. 

1854.  Lowe,  a  Frenchman,  who  lived  with  E.  D.  West- 
fall,  near  Fort  Inge ;  — = —  Forrester  and  two  children  on 
the  Helotes,  18  miles  west  of  San  Antonio. 

1855.  Willis   Jones,  of  Capt.   Callahan's   Rangers,  a 

brother  of  Capt.  Frank  Jones,  at  Piedras  Negras ;  

Gesser,   a  French  peddler,   and  ten   Mexicans,   15  miles 
west   of  Gonzalesj   Jesse  Lawhorn,  on   Curry   Creek,  in 
Kendall    County;    Amanda    Davis,    a    child    of   Richard 
Davis,  near  the  river,  8  miles  north  of  Bandera. 

1856.  Louis  Thompson,  near  Frio  canon ; White, 

on  the  Hondo,  where  Joe  Richards'  ranch  is  now ;  Hans 
Ney,  an  uncle  of  Sheriff  Joe  Ney,  in  Medina  County; 
four  persons  on  J.  H.  Hill's  place  in  Frio  canon;  Dr. 
Thompson,  by  robbers,  five  miles  west  of  San  Antonio. 

1857.  Mr.  Murry,  assessor  of  Bandera  County,  in  Sa- 
binal  canon;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  Gilliland  killed,  and 

two  children  captured,  in  Refugio  County ; Bilhartz, 

an  uncle  of  Mr.  Bilhartz  of  San  Antonio,  at  Lacoste  Sta- 
tion; Valentine  Haller,  near   Castroville;  Berry  Bucha- 
low,  on  the  Saco;  John  Martin,  a  soldier,  at  Kickapoo 
Springs  near  Fort  McKavitt;  Dan  Murff,  8  miles  north 
of  Kerrville  on  Guadalupe  River;  Newt.  Price,  8  miles 
north  of  Kerrville  on  Guadalupe  River;  11  Mexicans,  on 
Ranchero  Creek,  2  miles  east  of  Sabinal  station. 

1858.  John  Hoffman,  of  Castroville,  8  miles  north  of 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Sabinal  station ;   Sebastian  Wolfe,   of  D'Hanis,   8  miles 

north  of  Sabinal  station ;  Lewis,  at  D'Hanis ; 

Gotthardt  on  the  Guadalupe  River;  his  3  sons  now  reside 
in  San  Antonio;  Nat  Magnum,  ten  miles  below  Uvalde, 
on  Leona  Creek ;  Capt.  John  Davenport,  on  El  Paso  road 
near  Sabinal  station ;  Jones  Bowles,  on  El  Paso  road  near 
Sabinal  station;  Jack  Bowles,  at  Guide  Hill,  7  miles  be- 
low where  Sabinal  station  is  now;  Nick  Baker,  in  Uvalde 
County;  Brinkhoff,  killed,  and  his  two  sons  cap- 
tured near  Quihi;  Jule  Bouchois,  at  the  head  of  Hondo 
Creek,  related  to  the  Zinzmeyer  family  in  San  Antonio ; 
Herman  Rotzman,  on  San  Francisco  Creek  6  miles  east 

of  Castroville; Vonflie,  father  of  Henry  Vonflie  of 

Briar  Branch,  Medina  County;  Louis  Magee,  near 
Boerne,  a  son  of  Rev.  John  Magee;  John  W.  Davis,  at 
Barrel  Springs,  beyond  Fort  Davis ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Am- 
lung,  their  3  children  and  7  men  at  Deadman's  Pass; 
Young  Hardin,  4  miles  south  of  Bandera. 

1859.  Rowland   Nicholas,   about   5   miles   above  Kerr- 

ville;  Saartoff,  in  Medina  County;  Jack  Mechler, 

uncle  of  Mechler  brothers  in  San  Antonio ;  Jack  Walters ; 
John  Bowles,  between  the  Rio  Frio  and  Sabinal  canon, 
near   Pilot    Knoll;   Reuben    Smith,   near   Hondo    Creek; 
Harms  Gaddis,  father-in-law  of  Judge  Hass,  of  Castro- 
ville, near  Quihi ;  W.  Houston,  at  18th  crossing  of  Devil's 
River,  near  Beaver  Lake;  a  captive  white  boy,  mistaken 
for  an  Indian  in  the  Nueces   canon ;  Henry  Fraiser,  a 
boy,  near  Sesquadara  Creek  in  Medina  County. 

1860.  Long,  on  Hondo  Creek,  and  his  sister  was 

scalped,  but  she  recovered  and  afterwards  married  Mr. 
Smith,   known   as   "  Sago  "   Smith ;   Peter  Ketchum  was 
killed  with  Long  on  Hondo  Creek;  five  members  of  the 
Braggart    family    in    Comanche    County;    Ed.    Watkins, 
near  Knox's  ranch  on  the  Frio,  8  miles  east  of  Uvalde; 

Richards,  near  Knox's  ranch  on  the  Frio,  8  miles 

east  of  Uvalde ;  Hans  Youngman,  an  uncle  of  Mr.  Young- 
man,  a  merchant  of  San  Antonio,  near  Lacoste  station, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

on  Mustang  Prairie;  Martin  Grace,  on  the  Medina  River 

near  where  Idlewild  is  now ; White,  in  Hondo  canon ; 

a  Mexican  boy  between  Elm  Creek  and  the  Medina  River ; 
an  unknown  Frenchman,  in  the  Hondo  canon;  Samuel 
Lane,  a  few  miles  above  Comfort  on  the  Guadalupe  River ; 
Leonard  Eastwood,  near  the  Leona,  in  Frio  County;  B. 
F.  Wilkins,  on  the  Rio  Frio  about  8  miles  from  Uvalde; 
George  Robinson,  on  the  Rio  Frio  about  8  miles  from 
Uvalde;  Theodore,  the  shepherd,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
near  Sabinal  station. 

1861.  James  Winters  and  Harrington,  both  of 

Pleasanton,    on    Hondo    Creek;    William    Herndon,    on 
Hondo  Creek;  two  negroes  belonging  to  Mr.  M.  French, 

on  Hondo  Creek ;  John   Schreiber,  near  D'Hanis ;  

Anderson  and O'Bryan ; Decker,  near  D'Hanis* 

Henry  Adams  and  Henry  Robinson,  in  the  Nueces  canon, 
near  Chalk  Bluff;  Henry  Robinson's  sixteen-year-old  son, 
in  the  Nueces  canon,  near  Chalk  Bluff;  Henry  Richarz, 

an    uncle    of   Captain   Richarz,    near   Pleasanton;   

Harrington,    near    Pleasanton ;    "  Mustang "    Moor,    on 
Laredo  road,  near  Moor's  station;  a  detachment  of  ten 
Confederate  soldiers   of  Company  D,  of  the  2nd  Texas 
Cavalry,   Capt.    James   Walker's   company,   under  Lieu- 
tenant Robt.  Mays,  consisting  of  John  Walker,  Thomas 
Carroll,  Sam  Shelby,  John  Parker,  Calvin  Jones,  John 
Brown   and   four   others,   were   all   killed;   the   following 
three  members  of  Capt.  James  Walker's  company  of  2nd 
Texas   Cavalry   were   killed   between   Fort   Stanton   and 
Fort  Craig,  viz. :  William  Pemberton,  Joseph  Moss,  and 
Joseph  Amanicker. 

1862.  Young  Hart,  lived  on  Patterson's  ranch,  killed 
on  Hondo  Creek  between  El  Paso  and  Laredo  road ;  David 
Adams,  brother  of  Henry  Adams,  40  miles  east  of  Rio 

Grande ;    Stockhouse,    a    brother-in-law    of    Capt. 

Richarz,  5  miles  from  D'Hanis ;  Vincent  Trahea,  in  Atas- 
cosa   County;  W.   Hudson,  at  18th  crossing  on  Devil's 
River. 


266  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

1863.  Mr.  — —  Williams,  on  Llano  River ;  Tom  Black 

and  Jones,  3  miles  from  Beaver  Lake  on  El  Paso 

road;  Sawyer,  on  Dry  Frio;  Zach  Deckert,  near 

D'Hanis;  Zavier  Gollett,  in  Medina  County;  three  Con- 
federate soldiers,  members  of  Capt.  Bradley 's  Co.,  south- 
west of  Uvalde ;  Adolph  Schauffhausen,  in  Uvalde  County ; 
Eastwood,  about  thirty  miles  southwest  of  Uvalde. 

1864*.  Mr.  Hall,  on  Richland  Creek,  in  San  Saba 
County;  a  ten-yen r-old  son  of  Mrs.  Youngblood,  on  Grape 
Creek  in  Blanco  County ;  "  Gunsmith  "  Gebhard,  of  Cas- 
troville,  on  Salado  Creek,  twenty-five  miles  east  of  the 
Rio  Grande  on  El  Paso  road;  Rudolph  Koenig,  of  Cas- 
troville,  on  Salado  Creek,  twenty-five  miles  east  of 
the  Rio  Grande,  on  El  Paso  road.  Texas  scouts 
fought  a  large  body  of  Kickapoo  Indians  on  Dove 
Creek  near  its  juncture  with  the  Concho  River,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Fort  Concho,  when  on  their  way  from  their 
reservation  on  the  Kaw  River,  in  Kansas,  to  Mexico.  The 
Indians  were  at  first  defeated,  but  rallied  and  routed 
the  rangers  with  heavy  loss.  Among  the  killed  were 
Don  Cox,  Tom  Parker,  Capt.  Sam  Barnes,  Albert  Ever- 
ett, Noah  Gibbs,  John  Stein,  James  Mabrey,  Joseph 
Byers,  Wm.  Epps,  Capt.  Gullentine  and  his  son,  besides 
others. 

1865.  Ed.  Terry,  and  2  of  his  children,  two  and  a  half 
miles  south  of  Center  Point ;  Samuel  Bennion,  Jbrother-in- 
law  of  Jack  Davenport,  in  Burnett  County,  on  Sabinal 
Creek;  Bud  English,  10  miles  west  of  Frio  River,  in  Frio 
County ;  Dean  Oden,  10  miles  west  of  Frio  River,  in  Frio 
County ;  Frank  Williams,  10  miles  west  of  Frio  River,  in 
Frio  County,  and  about  six  others;  John  Bockney,  his 
wife  and  £  children,  8  miles  east  of  Fort  Clark  in  El 
Paso  road;  Chris.  Wachter's  mother-in-law,  near  Kerr- 
ville;  Henry  Cox  lost  a  daughter  4  years  old  on  west 
prong  of  the  Nueces,  a  13-year-old  son  on  the  El  Paso 
road,  and  a  married  daughter,  her  husband  and  3  chil- 
dren near  Brackett. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  267 

186 — .  Rause,  during  the  Civil  War  on  Tuhua- 

cana  Creek  in  Frio  County ; Hood,  a  boy,  on  Redus 

ranch  in  Hondo  canon. 

1866.  Valentine   Gunley,   6   miles   west   of   Castro ville 
below  El  Paso  road;  Thomas  Clark,  in  Medina  County, 
above  Bandera;  Bob  Leakey,  in  Uvalde  County;  George 
White,  in   Uvalde   County;   George  Wheeler,   in   Hondo 

canon ;  George  Miller,  in  Hondo  canon ; Thulle,  near 

Castroville;   Mrs.    Bowlin   and   child   in   Sabinal   canon; 
David  Cryer,   about  10  miles  north  of  Bandera;  B.   C. 
Buckalew,  near  Lexon   Creek,  in   Sabinal   canon;   Thos. 
B.  Click,  above  Bandera  on  Medina  River;  Samuel  Love, 
2  miles  above  Kerrville;  Sam  Long,  on  Blanco  Creek;  B. 
Slaack,  above  Bandera,  on  Medina  River. 

1867.  John   Sanders,  on   the  Eagle  Pass   road;  Mrs. 
William  Alexander,  18  miles  above  Kerrville,  in  San  Saba 
Co. ;  Jack  Miller,  near   Saco   Creek ;   Joseph  Moor,  his 
wife  and  mother,  where  Medina  city  is  now;  Mr.  Jones, 
where  Medina  city  is  now ;  W.  B.  Derry,  and  2  children, 
on  Guadalupe  River  10  miles  below  Kerrville,  and  his  8- 
year-old  daughter  carried  off,  but  was  recaptured  later 
in  the  Frio  canon,  by  Chris.  Kelly,  John  Paterson  and 
Ed.  Meyer,  a  brother  of  Albert  Meyer,  of  San  Antonio; 

Schlossen  and  Baptist,  on  G.  W.  Kendall's  ranch 

in  Kendall  Co. ;  George  Mayer ;  Henry  Robinson,  in  Frio 
canon,   on   El   Paso   road;   John   Rowland,   an   uncle   of 
Frank  Rieden  of  San  Antonio;  John  Davis,  brother  of 

Davis,   an   express    driver   in    San   Antonio;   John 

Dawson,    at    Barrel    springs    on    El    Paso    road;    nine 
Mexicans    15    miles    from    Eagle   Pass,    on    Eagle   Pass 
road. 

1868.  James  Dowdy's  four  children,  Fanny  20,  Alice 
18,  Rilla  15,  and  James  12,  on  Johnson's  creek  in  Kerr 
County;  three  persons  in  the  Bickle  family  5  miles  east 
of  Boerne;  Roumon  Gross  and  his  son  George,  near  La- 
coste   station   in   Medina   Co. ;  Pablo   Hernandez   and   3 
men,  near  Chichon  on  the  Laredo  road ; Spanneburg, 


268  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

5  miles  east  of  Boerne;  Hardin,  a  youth  15  years 

old,  4  miles  southwest  of  Bandera. 

1870.  Mrs.    Wanz,    the   mother   of  Zavier  Wanz,    on 
Verde  Creek;  a  Mexican  on  Charley  Vivian's  ranch;  two 
Mexicans  on  Ed  English's  ranch  near  Carrizo  springs ; 

Walter   Reese,    on    Verde    Creek; Bird,    of    Capt. 

Rufus   Perry's   rangers,  near  Shovel  mountain  in  Hays 
County;  Mr.  English  lost  a  son  and  his  two  companions 
in  a  fight  with  Indians  on  the  Rio  Frio,  between  Eagle 

Pass  and  Laredo  road;  Bedeger  of  Capt.  Richarz's 

rangers,  near  Carrizo  springs ;  Walter  Richarz,  a  son  of 
Capt.   Richarz,   six  miles   west   of   Sabinal  Creek  on  El 
Paso  road;  Joe  Rief,  of  Capt.  Richarz's  rangers,  6  miles 
west  of  Sabinal  Creek  on  El  Paso  road;  Mrs.  Wallace, 
on  Verde  Creek. 

1871.  Mr.  Stringfield  and  his  wife,  and  his  son,  cap- 
turned  on  the  Rio  Frio  below  Laredo  road;  a  white  boy 
in  the  employ  of  J.  T.  Patterson,  in  Hondo  canon. 

1872.  Frank  Clark,  among  the  Salt  Creek  mountains 
in  Brown  County;  a  negro  who  joined  a  party  from  John 
Kenedy's  ranch,  near  Sabinal  station ;  two  Mexicans,  at  a 
sheep-pen    in   Live   Oak    County;    one    Mexican,    in    the 
Crough  sheep-pen  near  Frio  town;  three  Mexicans,  near 
Frio  town;  one  unknown  white  man  near  Frio  town;  one 
unknown  white  man  in  the  Bennett  settlement  near  Leon 
Creek;    Ludwig    Spath,    on    Sandy    Creek    in    Gillespie 
County;  Anastacio  Gonzales  and  8  Mexican  teamsters  at 
Howard's  well;  Freeman  Clark,  on  Salado  Creek;  Frank 
Camp,  at  Round  Rock,  now  in  Ward's  pasture,  in  Frio 
County;  Mr.  Redbug,  on  Elm  Creek,  in  Frio   County; 
Massey,  on  Elm  Creek,  in  Frio  County. 

1873.  Two  Mexicans   employed  by  Ross  Kenedy  and 
Frank  Rooney,  on  the  Rio  Pecos;  Capt.  Williams  and  2 
of  his  men,  in  Babyhead  gap,  in  Kimble  County ;  Thomas 
Black,  near  Beaver  Lake. 

1874.  Glass  and  Batley,  two  rangers,  in  the  Lost  Val- 
ley fight  in  Jack  Co. ;  a  boy  on  Black  Creek,  by  Indian 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  269 

raiders,    who    carried   off   100   horses;   Bailey,   in 

Uvalde  County. 

1875.  Frank    Jones,    in    Mason    County;    Isaac    Gal- 
braith,    and   three   other   persons,   near   Devine;   George 
White,  the  father  of  ex-Sheriff  White  of  Edwards  County, 
near  Devine ;  Jack  Phillips,  on  his  way  to  Sabinal  canon. 

1876.  W.    B.   Perry   and   2   children,   10   miles   below 
Kerrville  on  the  Guadalupe  River;  a  white  man,  &  miles 
west  of  Johnson  city ;  Mrs.  Sawyer,  in  Frio  County ;  a 
16-year-old  boy,  one  mile  west  of  Johnson  city;  a  Mex- 
ican herder,  about  3  miles  west  of  Johnson  city;  W.  R. 
Terry  and  2   of  his  children,  on  Verde   Creek,  near  its 
juncture  with  the  Guadalupe.     The  Indians  made  their 
last  raid  into  Sabinal  canon  and  killed  16  persons  in  the 
wide  circle  they  made  back  to  the  Rio  Grande. 

1877.  Joe  Wilton,  below  D'Hanis. 

1879.  Five  U.  S.  soldiers,  by  Victoria's  band,  west  of 
Fort  Davis ;  — —  Baker,  west  of  Fort  Davis ;  John  Coul- 
son's  wife  and  two  children  in  Nueces  canon. 

1882.  Mrs.  McLaurin,  Allen  Lease,  near  Knox's  ranch, 
in  Frio  canon,  8  miles  east  of  Uvalde,  in  the  last  raid 
made  by  the  Lipan  Indians,  in  the  Frio  canon,  when 
they  were  pursued  by  Lieut.  Bullis  into  Mexico  and 
whipped  at  Horseshoe  Bend. 

NOTE. — This  list  gives  a  total  of  three  hundred  and 
ninety-two  persons  that  are  known  to  have  been  killed  by 
Indians  between  the  years  1843  and  1882. 

This  partial  list  of  people  that  were  killed  by  hostile 
Indians  on  the  western  frontier  in  thirty-nine  years  must 
suffice.  No  official  record  of  such  murders  was  kept,  con- 
sequently the  list  is  imperfect,  and  a  great  many  names 
might  be  added  of  which  I  have  no  knowledge.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  many  persons  were  slaughtered  by  marauding 
bands  of  Indians,  whose  bodies  have  never  been  found. 
Numerous  skeletons  of  other  unfortunates  have  been 


270  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

found  in  remote  places,  which  could  not  be  identified,  and 
the  cause  of  their  death  is  unknown.  The  greatest  de- 
struction of  life  occurred  on  the  Texas  frontier  through 
a  period  extending  from  1850  to  1877,  and  those  who 
traveled  the  exposed  route  leading  from  San  Antonio  to 
El  Paso  suffered  more  than  elsewhere.  The  following 
incident  in  my  own  experience  will  help  to  illustrate  this 
statement  and  serve  as  a  fitting  close  to  the  subject: 

The  incident  happened  in  a  wild,  desolate  country, 
west  of  Devil's  River,  in  1876,  and  I  was  accompanied 
by  Captain  Stocker  of  St*  Louis,  the  manager  and  one 
of  the  principal  stockholders  of  the  Knox  Mining  Com- 
pany of  Parral,  in  which  I  was  also  interested.  Captain 
Stocker  went  hunting  and  entered  a  ravine,  where  he  dis- 
covered the  bones  of  six  or  eight  men  that  were  lying 
exposed  on  top  of  the  ground,  and  he  directed  my  atten- 
tion to  them.  Evidently  they  had  been  killed  by  Indians, 
because  the  skulls  showed  the  marks  of  the  scalping- 
knife.  The  place  was  a  short  distance  away  from  the 
road,  and  possibly  they  had  retired  to  the  shelter  of  the 
ravine  during  a  cold  spell  of  weather,  where  the  Indians 
found  and  murdered  them.  The  indications  showed  that 
the  tragedy  occurred  years  before,  probably  in  1849, 
when  on  their  way  to  California.  We  could  not  find  the 
slightest  clue  to  their  identity  and  their  remains  were 
left  undisturbed.  -• 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 

MY  personal  recollections  of  San  Antonio  extend  back 
to  1854,  and  they  are  vividly  retained,  although  at  that 
time  I  was  only  nine  years  old.  Believing  that  the  in- 
formation will  prove  to  be  interesting,  I  will  submit  my 
youthful  impressions  of  the  city  as  briefly  as  possible,  and 
after  giving  a  general  description  of  its  area  and  ap- 
pearance in  connection  with  its  prominent  features,  I  will 
close  with  a  sketch  of  the  city's  development  in  each  dec- 
ade until  the  present  time. 

My  first  view  of  San  Antonio  de  Bexar  was  from  the 
highlands  towards  the  west,  and  the  first  object  in  that 
direction  that  I  distinctly  remember  was  the  Catholic 
Cemetery,  which  included  all  of  Milam  Square  and  the 
land  now  occupied  by  Santa  Rosa  Hospital,  that  was 
enclosed  by  a  stone  wall  about  eight  feet  high.  I  was 
greatly  impressed  by  its  appearance,  because  it  was  the 
first  graveyard  I  had  ever  seen,  and  when  I  was  told  that 
it  was  the  burial  place  for  all  the  people  who  died  in  the 
city  the  evidence  was  conclusive  that  we  were  approach- 
ing its  limits. 

From  that  point,  the  wagon  on  which  I  rode,  with  its 
team  of  oxen  driven  by  my  father,  moved  slowly  forward 
to  the  crossing  on  San  Pedro  Creek,  thence  onwards 
through  the  center  of  the  town  and  down  Market  Street 
to  the  ford  where  Navarro  Street  bridge  now  spans  the 
San  Antonio  River.  Nat  Lewis'  gristmill,  which  was  run 
by  water  power,  was  situated  just  above  the  ford,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  beautiful  stream,  and  the  general  camp- 
ing place  for  wagons  was  in  that  vicinity.  There  the 
oxen  were  unyoked  and  turned  loose  to  graze  on  the  open 

271 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

lands  east  of  the  river,  with  hopples  on  to  prevent  them 
from  wandering  to  a  distance. 

I  was  afforded  many  opportunities  for  sight-seeing 
while  encamped  there,  and  I  took  advantage  of  them  to 
view  the  city,  which  was  then  confined  to  a  small  area 
around  the  public  squares,  where  all  the  business  houses 
were  located,  and  to  a  couple  of  blocks  in  each  direction 
from  that  point,  that  represented  the  residence  portion  of 
the  town.  All  the  land  north  of  Houston  Street,  and 
that,  equally  distant,  south  of  the  Plazas  between  the 
San  Antonio  River  and  San  Pedro  Creek,  which  could 
be  irrigated  from  the  ditches,  was  in  cultivation.  The 
town  was  supplied  with  products  of  the  soil  derived  from 
that  source  and  a  few  small  settlements  in  the  surround- 
ing country. 

The  population  of  the  city  at  that  date  probably  did 
not  exceed  four  thousand  inhabitants  of  all  races,  and 
of  that  number  a  large  majority  were  of  Mexican  descent, 
many  of  whom  were  in  destitute  circumstances.  It  was 
a  poorly  built  town  of  unattractive  one-story  adobe 
structures,  with  walls  extending  two  or  three  feet  above 
flat  cement  roofs,  that  resembled  the  houses  commonly 
seen  in  Mexico;  this  style  of  architecture  was  observed 
in  the  business  houses  around  Main  Plaza  and  in  the  two 
stores  that  stood  near  the  center  in  front  of  the  present 
Court  House,  also  in  the  Governor's  Palace,  on  Military 
Plaza,  the  Veramendi  house  on  Soledad  Street,  and  others 
of  less  consequence  on  Main  and  Dwyer  Avenue.  A  few 
buildings  were  constructed  of  stone,  but  the  most  stately 
edifice  was  San  Fernando  Church,  and  the  only  one  of 
two  stories  in  height  that  I  remember  was  the  James 
residence  on  Commerce  Street,  where  General  Worth  died 
in  1849,  and  in  which  General  R.  E.  Lee  was  a  frequent 
guest.  A  majority  of  the  dwellings  were  rude  huts  with 
walls  built  of  poles  set  upright  in  the  ground  and  plas- 
tered with  mud. 

The  rear  portion  of  the  present  Cathedral,  the  old  Pal- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  273 

ace,  the  Veramendi  house,  and  a  few  others  of  less  im- 
portance are  all  that  remain.  The  Alamo,  of  course, 
stands  as  solidly  now  as  it  did  then  in  its  soli- 
tude overlooking  the  city,  where  I  visited  it  often 
and  spent  many  hours  playing  among  its  ruins.  The 
only  residence  east  of  the  river,  unless  I  am  mistaken, 
was  owned  by  Colonel  S.  A.  Maverick,  on  the  corner  oc- 
cupied by  the  Gibbs  building,  west  of  the  Federal  build- 
ing. The  Post  Office  was  then  kept  in  a  small  house  on 
Dwyer  Avenue,  which  is  still  standing. 

Several  buildings  of  that  period,  on  Main  and  Mili- 
tary plazas,  that  have  disappeared,  are  noted  in  history. 
One  was  the  Council  House  on  the  corner  of  Market 
Street,  where  the  fierce  Indian  fight  occurred  with  a 
party  of  Comanche  chiefs,  in  which  all  of  them  were 
killed;  and  another  was  the  first  schoolhouse,  on  Military 
Plaza,  in  the  rear  of  the  Cathedral.  There  were  others 
that  were  notorious  gambling  places,  where  many  bloody 
encounters  took  place,  which  gave  San  Antonio  a  bad 
reputation  before  it  began  to  improve. 

I  have  endeavored  to  recall  the  names  of  all  the  early 
settlers  of  prominence  and  worth,  of  Anglo-American 
origin  and  of  European  birth,  who  resided  in  San  An- 
tonio prior  to  1857,  and  the  list  is  inserted  at  the  close 
of  this  chapter.  They  made  themselves  conspicuous  in 
the  upbuilding  of  the  city  through  the  exercise  of  civiliz- 
ing influences,  in  opposition  to  a  rougher  element  whose 
efforts  to  terrorize  and  disgrace  the  community  as  rob- 
bers and  murderers  retarded  its  growth. 

The  names  of  merchants  and  their  places  of  business, 
who  were  established  in  San  Antonio  between  1844  and 
1857,  are  given  in  the  following  list: 

Cook  &  Lockwood;  on  corner  opposite  Kampmann 
building,  in  1844,  now  occupied  by  Frank  Bros. 

Bryan  Callaghan,  Sr. ;  on  Main  Plaza,  in  front  of 
Court  House,  in  1844. 

George  Caldwell;  on  West  Commerce  Street,  in  1853. 


274  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Daniel  Devine;  adjoining  Cook  &  Lockwood's  store,  in 
1844. 

Dr.  Dignowity;  on  Soledad  Street. 

Marcello  French;  on  West  Commerce  Street. 

Louis  Groesbeck;  on  Main  Plaza,  in  front  of  Court 
House,  in  1844. 

Griff  Jones ;  on  north  side  of  Main  Plaza,  in  1844, 
where  Saul  Wolfson's  store  is  now. 

Jones  &  Ulrich;  north  side  of  Main  Plaza,  in  1844, 
where  Saul  Wolfson's  store  is  now. 

King  &  Carolan;  north  side  of  Main  Plaza,  in  1844; 
where  Saul  Wolfson's  store  is  now. 

Frank  Paschal;  north  side  of  Main  Plaza,  in  1844, 
where  Saul  Wolfson's  store  is  now. 

Dr.  A.  Nette;  the  first  drug  store  in  San  Antonio. 

Post  &  Hedges ;  on  north  side  of  Main  Plaza,  where 
Saul  Wolfson's  store  is  now. 

Rose  &  McCarty;  on  West  Commerce  Street,  where  A. 
B.  Frank's  store  is  now. 

Wilson  I.  Riddle;  on  corner  of  Commerce  and  St. 
Mary  streets,  in  1844. 

Sweet's  furniture  store,  in  1850. 

Sweet  &  Lacoste;  where  Critzer's  Jewelry  Store  is  now, 
in  1850. 

William  Vance;  on  West  Commerce  Street,  in  1844, 
succeeded  by  Vance  Bros. 

Wallace  &  Evans ;  on  West  Commerce  Street,  where 
A.  B.  Frank's  store  is  now. 

The  following  resident  lawyers  practiced  before  the 
Bexar  County  bar  between  1844  and  1855:  Mack  An- 
derson, T.  T.  Anderson,  Jack  Cock,  James  H.  Denison, 
Thomas  J.  Devine,  Judge  Duncan,  T.  S.  Harrison,  Hart, 
Alford  &  Willie,  James  Henson,  Hewitt  &  Newton,  Rus- 
sell Howard,  Volney  Howard,  George  H.  Noonan,  J.  A. 

Paschal,  Simpson,  T.  T.  Teel,  Columbus  Upson, 

Vanderlip,  Jacob  Waelder. 

These  names  will  probably  suggest  others,  but,  doubt- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  275 

less,  a  complete  list  of  the  persons  who  were  engaged  in 
business  during  that  period  could  be  made  from  the  court 
records  by  anyone  who  might  feel  disposed  to  undertake 
the  task.  Many  persons  named  in  the  two  lists  became 
prominent  and  their  character  is  stamped  on  the  work 
they  performed. 

The  town  did  not  improve  materially  on  the  plazas 
in  the  twelve  years  following  my  first  visit,  but  its  habi- 
tations were  extended  considerably  during  that  interval 
on  account  of  large  accessions  to  the  population.  The 
estimated  number  of  inhabitants  in  1857  was  about  seven 
thousand;  and  in  1860  they  are  stated  to  have  been  be- 
tween ten  and  twelve  thousand;  but  it  is  probable  that 
numerous  transient  residents  were  included  in  the  last 
estimate,  who  were  awaiting  a  development  of  events 
threatened  by  the  signs  of  the  times.  Texas  was  pre- 
paring to  secede  from  the  Union,  and  other  important 
movements  were  in  contemplation  which  made  San  An- 
tonio the  rendezvous  of  many  adventurers. 

The  act  of  secession  was  anticipated  by  a  demand  for 
the  surrender  of  the  Federal  troops  in  Texas,  and  the 
capitulation  to  the  State  authorities  was  accomplished 
in  San  Antonio.  Texas  then  became  a  State  in  the 
Southern  Confederacy  and  the  great  Civil  War  followed, 
with  its  four  years  of  horrors  that  spread  a  blight  over 
the  country.  That  era  of  misfortune  to  the  Southern 
States  was  succeeded  by  the  evils  of  the  reconstruction 
period,  which  were  prolonged  through  twice  as  many 
years.  The  conditions  that  prevailed,  immediately  after 
the  war  ended,  hampered  business  energy  generally 
throughout  the  South  and  hindered  an  active  interest  in 
commercial  enterprises ;  but  in  no  place  was  there  mani- 
festation of  less  activity  than  in  San  Antonio,  where  it 
seems  that  the  welfare  of  the  city  had  ceased  to  be  a 
matter  for  consideration. 

The  people  of  the  town  could  not  have  been  placed  in 
a  worse  situation,  or  one  that  could  more  thoroughly  ex- 


276  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

pose  the  inefficiency  of  the  city  government.  My  knowl- 
edge is  derived  from  personal  observation,  because  I  made 
the  city  my  home  about  the  time  that  the  disgraceful 
state  of  affairs  was  at  its  worst.  A  lawless  element,  com- 
posed of  bandits,  thieves,  and  murderers,  infested  the 
town,  where  they  defied  the  authorities  and  terrorized  the 
community  with  no  fear  of  punishment,  and  with  the 
same  impunity  that  led  tribes  of  marauding  savages  to 
ravage  the  outlying  settlements  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
city.  The  crimes  and  murders  that  were  perpetrated  by 
white  degenerates  under  the  shadow  of  the  law  were  less 
excusable,  more  cowardly  and  equally  as  brutal  as  those 
committed  by  savage  enemies  in  their  mode  of  warfare. 

Before  the  interests  of  society  could  hope  to  advance 
it  was  necessary  that  the  evils  which  held  San  Antonio 
in  their  grasp  should  be  overcome,  otherwise  the  city 
could  not  improve,  nor  was  it  possible  to  develop  the  nat- 
ural resources  of  the  country  until  they  were  removed. 
In  other  words,  the  conditions  demanded  that  the  city 
should  be  purged  of  turbulent  and  corrupt  men  in  order 
to  remove  the  contagion  of  bad  example;  and  also  that 
the  country  should  be  protected  against  savages,  so  that 
peaceable,  orderly  citizens  might  enjoy  tranquillity  in 
the  pursuit  of  their  vocations  when  striving  for  the  gen- 
eral good  of  the  commonwealth.  These  problems  were 
hard  to  solve,  but  they  were  worked  out  successfully  in 
the  course  of  time. 

The  conditions  in  west  Texas  could  not  have  been  more 
unsatisfactory  than  they  were  in  1866,  when  I  assumed 
my  duties  as  a  mail  contractor  under  the  Federal  govern- 
ment, over  the  routes  from  San  Antonio,  via  Eagle  Pass, 
to  Fort  Clark,  and  another  from  San  Antonio  to  La- 
redo. Indian  raids  from  the  north  and  west  were  fre- 
quent occurrences,  and  the  entire  frontier  was  unpro- 
tected by  a  military  force,  consequently  the  dangers  that 
lurked  in  every  direction  compelled  those  who  traveled  the 
roads,  and  the  people  in  every  settlement,  to  take  care 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  277 

of  themselves.  Naturally,  under  such  circumstances,  all 
rural  pursuits  languished,  immigration  almost  ceased,  and 
communication  with  Mexico  was  hampered  until  inter- 
course between  San  Antonio  and  that  country  was  con- 
tinued with  difficulty  on  account  of  the  dangers  that 
menaced  those  who  passed  over  the  route. 

A  state  of  affairs  such  as  I  have  outlined  could  not  con- 
tinue in  opposition  to  the  enterprising  spirit  that  began 
to  assert  itself  in  defiance  of  existing  discouragements. 
Business  men  grasped  the  situation  and  began  to  work  in 
earnest  for  the  city's  welfare  and  the  country's  safety, 
and  though  the  obstacles  seemed  insurmountable  they 
labored  harmoniously  until  every  obstruction  in  the  way 
of  progress  was  removed.  Active  steps  were  taken  to 
improve  the  city,  and  in  the  next  few  years  several  public 
enterprises  were  inaugurated,  many  new,  substantial 
buildings  were  erected,  and  the  city  was  better  governed 
than  it  had  ever  been  before. 

Among  the  most  prominent  measures  and  institutions 
worthy  of  notice,  that  were  adopted  or  established  in 
1866,  was  the  organization  of  the  first  national  bank  of 
San  Antonio;  a  charter  for  the  first  street  railroad  was 
secured ;  the  city  was  first  lighted  with  gas ;  and  an  ice 
factory  was  erected.  In  1867  the  first  city  ordinance 
against  carrying  concealed  weapons  was  passed  by  the 
council,  and  the  first  raid  was  made  by  the  police  on 
gamblers.  In  1868  the  first  fair  of  the  Agricultural  and 
Industrial  Association  was  opened;  the  first  stage-line 
between  San  Antonio,  Texas,  and  Monterey,  was  estab- 
lished; the  first  steam  fire  engine  arrived;  the  first  Jockey 
Club  was  organized;  and  the  corner-stone  of  the  first 
cathedral  in  west  Texas  was  laid  with  imposing  cere- 
monies. In  1869  San  Antonio  was  first  designated  as  a 
money  order  office.  In  1870  the  city  was  re-incorpo- 
rated; improvements  of  the  Plazas  was  begun;  foot 
bridges  were  built  across  the  river  on  Commerce  and  St. 
Mary  Streets ;  sidewalks  were  laid ;  agitation  of  city 


278  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

water-works  commenced;  the  city  donated  to  the  Federal 
Government  forty  acres  of  land  near  the  present  site  of 
Fort  Sam  Houston,  which  was  officially  begun  in  1865; 
and  a  more  extensive  wagon  trade,  in  which  "  Prairie 
Schooners "  were  introduced,  was  opened  with  distant 
points  in  Mexico  than  had  ever  existed  before. 

A  brighter  future  confronted  San  Antonio  then,  and 
the  city's  appearance  had  been  greatly  improved  in  a 
manner  that  comported  with  its  commercial  importance. 
But  in  the  next  decade  it  made  far  greater  strides  and 
both  the  business  and  residence  portions  were  greatly  ex- 
tended in  every  direction  and  the  river  was  spanned  on 
Houston  Street  by  the  first  iron  bridge.  An  excellent 
public  school  system  and  a  number  of  public  enterprises 
were  inaugurated,  in  addition  to  which  many  churches, 
stores  and  other  buildings  were  erected.  In  1875  Fort 
Sam  Houston  was  permanently  established  and  the  city 
voted  a  subsidy  of  $300,000  to  secure  the  Galveston, 
Harrisburg  and  San  Antonio  Railroad,  which  was  com- 
pleted in  1877.  The  water-works  system  was  finished  in 
1878,  and  in  the  same  year  the  Belknap  system  of  street 
car  lines  was  operated  to  San  Pedro  springs. 

The  danger  from  Indian  raids  had  been  lessened  after 
military  posts  were  established  far  out  on  the  frontier, 
and  telegraph  lines  connected  them  with  military  head- 
quarters in  San  Antonio.  In  consequence  of  those 
measures  the  western  and  northern  settlements  became 
comparatively  safe  and  the  industries  increased  in  pro- 
portion. Immigration  poured  into  the  country  and  a 
considerable  area  of  land  in  the  territory  tributary  to  Sari 
Antonio  was  put  in  cultivation.  Large  herds  of  horses, 
cattle,  and  immense  flocks  of  .sheep  grazed  in  safety  on 
the  western  plains,  and  San  Antonio  became  a  prominent 
market  for  live  stock  and  wool. 

Throughout  this  period  my  identification  with  the 
freighting  business  from  Texas  seaports  and  railroad 
terminuses,  through  San  Antonio  westward  to  El  Paso, 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  279 

placed  me  in  a  position  where  I  could  see  the  progressive 
steps  that  were  made  when  bringing  about  the  country's 
development,  and  I  realized  that  a  trans-continental  rail- 
road had  become  a  necessity.  When  I  saw  that  the  Gal- 
veston,  Harrisburg  &  San  Antonio  Railroad  would  be  ex- 
tended to  El  Paso  and  form  a  junction  with  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railway,  I  knew  that  my  freighting  business 
would  be  ruined.  These  impressions  led  me  to  anticipate 
that  event  by  disposing  of  my  outfit  to  advantage,  and 
thereafter  I  became  personally  associated  with  affairs 
in  San  Antonio,  and  took  an  active  interest  in  promoting 
the  city's  improvements  and  general  prosperity. 

During  the  next  ten  years  San  Antonio  developed 
rapidly,  and  many  large  buildings,  some  of  which  were 
of  considerable  importance,  were  erected.  A  telephone 
system  was  established  in  1881.  The  Sunset  Railroad 
made  connection  with  the  Southern  Pacific,  and  through 
trains  were  run  from  San  Francisco  to  New  Orleans  in 
1883.  The  International  and  Great  Northern  was  com- 
pleted through  San  Antonio  to  Laredo  in  1885,  where  it 
connected  with  the  Mexican  Central,  which  established  a 
through  route  to  the  City  of  Mexico.  Trains  were  run- 
ning over  the  San  Antonio  and  Aransas  Pass  Railroad  to 
Kerrville,  in  1887.  The  street  car  system  was  extended; 
plazas  and  streets  were  improved,  important  bridges  were 
built,  the  Army  Post  and  Federal  Building  were  finished ; 
the  business  and  residence  portions  of  the  city  were  greatly 
enlarged;  and  many  new  enterprises  were  inaugurated. 

The  last  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century  was  the  most 
active  period  in  the  history  of  San  Antonio,  and  the 
impetus  the  city  received  through  the  commercial  energy 
and  civic  pride  of  its  citizens  made  it  the  metropolis  of 
Texas,  with  a  total  of  53,321  inhabitants,  according  to 
the  last  census.  During  that  period  business  centers 
were  changed;  property  values  largely  increased;  the 
residence  limits  expanded  in  every  direction,  and  new 
additions  were  made  where  property  was  purchased  with 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

avidity.  The  city  was  lighted  by  electricity;  the  street 
car  service  was  greatly  extended  and  electric  cars  were 
introduced  which  gave  efficient  service  and  did  much  to 
equalize  the  value  of  property;  a  more  complete  system 
of  water-works  was  perfected  which  supplied  the  city 
with  delicious  water  from  artesian  wells ;  an  expensive 
sewerage  system  was  introduced;  many  miles  of  asphalt 
and  macadamized  streets  were  constructed;  the  city  was 
adorned  by  numerous  costly  business  houses,  public  build- 
ings, including  a  county  court  house,  a  city  hall,  churches 
and  institutions  of  learning,  in  which  several  millions  of 
dollars  were  invested;  and  it  was  also  beautified  by  a 
number  of  public  parks  in  choice  localities,  which  are 
among  the  city's  greatest  attractions.  It  also  became  an 
educational  center,  because  its  public  schools,  colleges 
and  seminaries  ranged  among  the  best  in  the  United 
States  and  were  patronized  by  students  from  abroad. 
Every  denomination  of  the  Christian  religion,  also  every 
fraternal  and  benevolent  order  was  represented  and  lib- 
erally sustained. 

These  improvements  and  benefits,  that  are  recognized 
as  a  necessity  in  every  civilized  society,  are  associated  with 
a  healthful  climate,  a  variety  of  agreeable  natural  fea- 
tures which  are  universally  admired,  and  the  locality  is 
appreciated  as  an  ideal  place  of  residence.  Identified 
with  these  attractions  are  the  fascinations  of  a,  romantic 
history,  which  extends  to  a  remote  period,  that  casts  a 
spell  over  the  city,  on  account  of  its  connection  with 
many  heroic  performances  in  the  story  of  its  evolution, 
and  distinguishes  it  as  the  most  interesting  city  in 
America. 

The  prospects  that  unfolded  before  San  Antonio  in 
every  direction  at  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury, presented  a  future  that  was  exceedingly  promising. 
The  reputation  it  had  acquired  as  a  health  resort  drew 
invalids  from  every  civilized  country,  and  its  renown  at- 
tracted visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  who  naturally 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  281 

contributed  to  the  city's  prosperity.  The  city  was  also 
indebted  to  the  Federal  Government  for  its  preference 
shown  by  selecting  it  for  its  military  headquarters  in  the 
southwest,  with  a  present  property  valuation  of  about 
$5,000,000,  and  the  people  appreciate  the  incalculable 
advantages  derived  from  that  source  through  the  gov- 
ernment's large  disbursements,  amounting  to  about 
$3,000,000  annually,  and  its  military  features. 

The  inducements  that  have  made  San  Antonio  a  city 
of  homes,  and  lured  others  from  the  outside  world  to  seek 
its  hospitality,  are  accepted  as  facts  and  they  are  fully 
substantiated,  consequently  there  is  no  necessity  for  ex- 
aggeration. They  largely  increased  the  resident  popula- 
tion, and  gave  encouragement  to  rural  industries  which 
brought  large  bodies  of  emigrants  who  settled  contiguous 
territory  partly  on  account  of  the  flattering  inducements 
and  other  opportunities  that  nature  offered  them. 

The  advantages  possessed  by  San  Antonio  at  that 
period  made  the  city  one  of  the  most  important  com- 
mercial and  military  centers  in  the  country,  but  they  have 
been  much  improved  in  the  past  eight  years.  The  evi- 
dence is  perceptible  in  the  character  and  value  of  the 
buildings  in  the  business  and  residence  portions  of  the 
city,  which  will  bear  a  favorable  comparison  with  similar 
structures  in  other  localities,  and  in  values  of  real  estate 
that  have  increased  enormously.  An  estimate  based  on 
the  resident  population  at  this  time  of  one  hundred 
thousand  souls,  and  taxable  wealth  amounting  to  $65,- 
000,000,  will  convey  a  crude  idea  of  the  changes  that  have 
taken  place.  But  the  metropolis  of  Texas  owes  its  im- 
portance to  its  geographical  situation  and  transporta- 
tion facilities,  more  than  to  local  attractions,  through 
the  opportunities  for  trade  that  have  been  opened  since 
the  country  tributary  to  San  Antonio  was  developed,  and 
close  connection  with  the  Republic  of  Mexico  was  secured, 
but  the  last  has  conferred  more  benefits  than  any  other 
contributory  cause. 


282  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

In  1854  Mr.  Sartor,  father  of  Alexander  Sartor,  Sr., 
was  the  owner  of  a  small  brewery  on  West  Commerce 
Street,  near  the  bridge,  that  was  called  the  Lone  Star 
Brewery,  and  a  large  star  hung  in  front  of  it  to  represent 
the  name,  but  I  do  not  remember  the  length  of  time  that 
it  remained  in  existence.  It  is  possible  that  this  ancient 
enterprise  suggested  a  name  for  the  present  wealthy  cor- 
poration known  as  the  Lone  Star  Brewery  in  San  An- 
tonio, but  I  am  not  informed  on  the  subject. 

The  present  association  under  that  name  was  organized 
in  1880  by  San  Antonio  capitalists,  among  whom  was 
Herman  Kampmann,  J.  E.  Muegge  and  F.  Kalteyer,  who 
furnished  most  of  the  money.  Mr.  Otto  Koehler  was 
placed  in  charge  of  it  as  general  manager.  The  greater 
part  of  the  stock  of  the  company  is  now  owned  by  the 
Anheuser-Busch  Brewing  Association. 

Mr.  Otto  Koehler  is  now  president,  and  Mr.  Otto 
Wahrmund  is  vice-president  of  the  famous  City  Brewery, 
that  is  well  known  throughout  the  State  of  Texas,  and 
these  gentlemen,  together  with  Messrs.  John  J.  Stevens, 
the  present  postmaster  of  San  Antonio,  and  Oscar  Berg- 
strom,  of  New  York  city,  are  its  principal  stockholders. 

The  friendly  and  commercial  relations  that  have  been 
established  through  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  busi- 
ness men  in  San  Antonio,  and  more  recently  by  the  ex- 
ertions of  International  Associations,  have  exercised  an 
influence  in  both  countries  under  the  encouragement  of  a 
liberal  government,  instituted  by  President  Diaz,  to  whose 
talents  Mexico  is  so  much  indebted.  They  have  ac- 
complished a  great  deal  of  good,  and  the  advantages  are 
seen  in  the  increase  of  trade  between  San  Antonio  and 
that  country  which  shows  that  the  plans  were  properly 
based  and  it  is  possible  to  benefit  all  the  interests  involved 
by  executing  them  successfully. 

The  subject  might  be  extended  indefinitely,  but  this 
brief  sketch  of  San  Antonio  must  suffice,  and  I  will  close 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  283 

the  account  with  a  list  of  prominent  American,  German 
and  French  families  who  resided  within  its  limits  between 
the  years  1845  and  1857: 

Adams,  father  of  Captain  Bill,  Captain  John,  Jim,  Pete, 
Henry,  Dave  and  Martin  Adams. 

Alexander,  ,  father  of  Dave  and  Rob  Alexander, 

also  of  Mrs.  Stribling. 

Alsbury,  E.  P.,  and  family. 

Artzt,  C.  P.,  father  of  Charles  and  Theodore  Artzt. 

Baetz,  Joseph,  father  of  Henry  and  Robert  Baetz. 

Baylor,  Mrs.  S.  M.,  widow  of  Dr.  John  Baylor,  U.  S.  A., 
father  of  General  J.  R.,  Colonel  G.  W.,  Henry,  Charles, 
Walker,  Sophie,  Mary  and  Fanny. 

Beck,  James  H.,  father  of  James,  Edward,  Mary,  John, 
Lucien,  Hugel,  William  and  Walter  Beck. 

Becker,  Reinhold,  father  of  Max  Becker. 

Beckmann,  ,  father  of  Charles  and  Joe  Beckmann. 

Bee,  General  H.  P.,  father  of  Carlos,  Ham  P.,  and  Tar- 
ver  Bee. 

Beitel,  ,  father  of  Charles,  Roy,  Frank  and  Albert 

Beitel. 

Bennett, ,  father  of  John,  David,  Jim,  Joe,  Jordan, 

Gramel  and  Margaret  Bennett. 

Bennett,  W.  A.,  father  of  Sam  Bennett  and  Mrs.  Yoakum. 

Biesenbach,  Peter,  father  of  August  and  Ed.  Biesenbach. 

Bihl,  father  of  Charles  T.,  George  D.,  and  Walter  Bihl. 

Bitter,  Henry,  father  of  Albert  and  John  A.  Bitter,  Tax 
Collector  of  Bexar  County. 

Bitter,  Dan,  father  of  W.  H.  and  Charles  Bitter. 

Bonnett,  ,  father  of  Charles,  Pete,  Andrew,  Dan 

and  William  Bonnett. 

Booker,  Dr. . 

Brackett,  ,  father  of  Mary,  Ellen  and  Sarah 

Brackett. 


284  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Brackenridge,  Colonel  G.  W. 

Braden,  Ed.,  father  of  Alderman  Ed.,  Joe,  Martin,  Willie, 
Henry  and  Dr.  Braden. 

Bradley,  John,  father  of  Captain  John  Bradley,  Mrs. 
Wilder,  and  other  children. 

Brahan,  Major,  ,  father  of  sMrs.  Ed  Cunningham. 

Briam,  Louis,  father  of  August,  Louis  and  Hans  Briam. 

Brown,  John  and  family. 

Brodbent,  C.  L.,  father  of  Charles,  Albert  and  Felix 
Brodbent. 

Callaghan,  Bryan,  father  of  James  and  Mayor  Bryan 
Callaghan. 

Campbell,  W.  W.,  father  of  Charles  and  John  Campbell. 

Canterberry,  Harvey,  married  Mrs.  Wilson  I.  Riddle, 
children,  J.  W.  and  Mildred  Canterberry. 

Carolane,  J.  M.,  father  of  Mrs.  Enoch  Jones. 

Cass,  Josiah,  and  family. 

Childers,  George  W.,  and  family. 

Childress,  Jacques,  father  of  Polk  and  Sam  Childress. 

Clements,  Reuben,  and  family. 

Colquhorn,  Major. 

Crawford,  John  C.,  father  of  Charles  and  John  Crawford. 

Cupples,  Dr.  George,  uncle  of  C.  E.  Cupples. 

Cunningham,  Ed.,  father  of  Narcissa,  Susie,  Eva,  Brahan 
and  Ed.  Cunningham.  .- 

Dangerfield,  William  H. 

Dashiell,  Maj.  J.  Y.,  father  of  G.  R.,  T.  P.,  D.  H.,  and 
Y.  F.  Dashiell. 

Dauchy,  A.  N.,  father  of  Malvina,  Mary  and  Adelhirt 
Dauchy. 

Dauchy,  Carey. 

Degen,  Charles,  father  of  Louis  and  Charles  Degen. 

DeMosie. 

Denman,  Coleman,  and  family. 

Desmuke,  Dr.  ,  and  family. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  285 


Deussen, 


DeVillbis,  Rev.  J.  W.,  and  family. 

Devine,  Judge  J.  N.,  father  of  Netterville,  Albert,  and  Joe 
Devine. 

Devine,  J.  P.,  T.  J.,  Gregory,  and  Daniel  Devine. 

Dial,  Major  ,  father  of  Mrs.  Judge  Shook. 

Dietler,  Frank,  father  of  Henry  Dietler. 

Dietsch,  Joe,  father  of  Albert  and  Joe  Dietsch. 

Dignowity,  Dr.  ,  father  of  Jim,  Henry,  Ed,  Charles, 

and  Frank  Dignowity. 

Dreiss,  Albert,  father  of  Edward  and  Adolph  Dreiss,  de- 
ceased. 

Drier,  ,  and  family. 

Dry  den,  ,  and  family. 

Duerler,  ,  father  of  Gus  and  Louis  Duerler. 

Dullnig,  ,  father  of  John,  Christian,  Jacob,  Andres, 

and  George  J.  Dullnig,  president  of  the  Dullnig  Grocery 
Co. 

Durand,  J.  A.,  and  family.    (He  married  Miss  Rodriguez.) 

Durand,  W.  C.,  and  August  Durand. 

Dwyer,  Joseph,  father  of  Judge  Ed.,  Joe,  Sam,  James  and 
Pat  Dwyer. 

Eager,  Robert,  father  of  Mrs.  Florence  E.  Roberts,  Mrs. 
Blanch  E.  Badger,  and  Mrs.  Fanny  McCullough. 

Eberhardt,  B.  C.,  father  of  Barney,  Willie,  Fritz,  August, 
and  Henry  Eberhardt. 

Edgar,  Capt.  Bill,  father  of  several  sons,  and  Mrs.  Cotton. 

Edgar,  Jack,  and  James. 

Edwards,  Charles,  and  family. 

Elder,  ,  father  of  Robert,  Felix,  and  Albert,  also  of 

Mrs.  Judge  Devine  and  Mrs.  Capt.  G.  Nelson. 

Elmendorf,  Charles,  father  of  Henry,  Emil,  Edward,  and 
Dr.  Elmendorf. 

Enderle,  Fritz,  father  of  George  and  Fritz  Enderle. 

Evans,  family. 

Ewell,  General  R.  R. 


286  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Felder,  William,  father  of  Adolph,  Charles,  Joe,  and  Ed. 
Felder. 

Fest,  Henry,  father  of  Ed,  Henry,  and  Simon  Fest,  de- 
ceased. 

Fischer,  Charles. 

Fisk,  James,  father  of  James,  and  Ben  Fisk,  Justice  of 
the  Peace. 

Ford,  Capt.  J.  S.  (Old  Rip),  father  of  Mrs.  Maddox  and 
other  children. 

Fournier,  Anton,  father  of  Anton  Fournier. 

Foutrel,  ,  father  of  Leon,  Emil,  and  J.  F.  Foutrel, 

also  of  Mrs.  E.  T.  Tschirhart. 

Frazier,  Dr.  ,  and  family. 

French,  Marcellus. 

French,  J.  H. 

Fries,  ,  father  of  John,  Louis,  George,  Fred,  Walter, 

and  Rudolph  Fries. 

Froboese,  Ed.,  father  of  Ed.,  August,  Julius,  and  Herman 
Froboese. 

Gilbeau,  Francisco,  father  of  Frank  and  Edward  Gilb'eau, 
and  Mrs.  Bryan  Callaghan. 

Gimbel,  Christian,  father  of  Ernest  and  Gus  Gimbel. 

Giraud,  F.,  and  family. 

Graf,  Louis,  father  of  Charles,  Emil,  and  Ludwig  Graf. 

Grenet,  Honore,  and  family. 

Griesenbeck,  Charles,  father  of  Hugo  and  Eugene  Gries- 
enbeck. 

Grimsinger,  Frank,  father  of  Joseph  and  Frank  Grim- 
singer. 

Graves,  Dr.  R.  L.,  and  family. 

Groesbeeck,  J.  D.,  father  of  J.  N.  Groesbeeck,  of  San 
Antonio,  and  H.  S.  Groesbeeck,  now  deceased. 

Gutzeit,  Frank,  father  of  Joseph,  Charles,  and  Edmond 
Gutzeit. 

Hall,  Samuel. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  287 

Harney,  Gten'l.  . 

Harrison,  T.  S. 

Hart,  . 

Hatch,  Dr.  . 

Hays,  Col.  Jack,  and  family.  (He  married  Miss  Sue  Cal- 
vert,  of  Gonzales.) 

Hebgen,  ,  father  of  Otto  Hebgen. 

Heggers,  . 

Herff,  Dr.  Ferdinand,  father  of  Ferdinand,  Charles,  Wil- 
liam, August,  and  Dr.  John  Herff,  deceased. 

Herman,  Dr.  Thomas,  and  family. 

Hertzberg,  Theodore  R.,  father  of  Dr.  E.  F.,  and  lawyer 
Hertzberg. 

Hettler,  Joe,  father  of  James,  Michael,  and  Victor  Het- 
tler. 

Higginbotham,  R.  T.,  and  Aunt  Martha  Higginbotham. 

Hoefling,  Rudolph,  father  of  Rudolph,  Henry,  and  Willie 
Hoefling,  deceased. 

Homer,  George. 

Horn,  Anton,  father  of  Joe,  Leo,  and  Henry  Horn. 

Horn,   Charles,   father  of  Julius  and  Charley  Horn. 

Horner,  George,  father  of  Kasper  and  Herman  Horner, 
also  of  Mrs.  F.  A.  Piper. 

Houston,  Dr.  G.  J.,  father  of  Augustus,  Reagan,  William 
Bryan,  deceased,  and  J.  W.  Houston,  also  of  Mrs.  J.  W. 
Frost  and  Mrs.  R.  B.  Minor. 

Howard,  Russel,  and  family.  (He  married  Miss  Mary 
Elliot.) 

Howard,  Thomas  H.,  and  Volney. 

Huntress,  John,  father  of  Frank  Huntress. 

Huppertz,  Herman,  and  family. 

Hutchinson,  Judge  . 

Hutzler, ,  father  of  Anton,  Joe,  and  John  Hutzler. 

Jackson,  W.  C.,  father  of  Alvin  and  Zulo. 
James,  Judge  John,  father  of  Vinton,  Sidney,  Scott,  and 
Judge  J.  H.  James. 


288  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

Jett,  Capt.  William  E.,  father  of  Willie,  Thomas,  Stern, 
and  Stephen  Jett. 

Johnston,  Gen'l.  Albert  Sidney,  and  family. 

Jonas,  Peter,  father  of  Albert  and  Peter  Jonas. 

Jones,  Enoch,  father  of  Griff  Jones. 

Jones,  William  E. 

Judson,  George  H.,  father  of  Will,  Mose,  and  Mrs.  Si 
Pancoast. 

Jordan,  David,  John,  Jim,  and  Joe. 

Kalteyer,  F.,  father  of  George  and  Dr.  Fred,  also  an  uncle 
of  W.  C.  Kalteyer,  the  druggist. 

Kampmann,  John  H.,  father  of  Herman  and  Gus  Kamp- 
mann. 

Kerr,  Uncle  Billy,  father  of  William,  Thomas,  Newton, 
Caroline,  and  Virginia  Kerr. 

King,  family. 

Kingsbury,  Dr.  ,  and  family. 

Knox,  Gen'l.  William  B.,  father  of  Capt.  W.  R.  and  "  Big 
Henry  "  Knox. 

Koenigheim,  E.,  and  Sam. 

Krempkau,  Charles  G.,  father  of  Gus,  Henry,  Adolph, 
Albert,  John,  and  Willie  Krempkau. 

Kuhlmann,   H.,   father  of  Henry  and  Adolph  Kuhlmann. 

Kunzman,  Henry,  father  of  Theodore  Kunzman. 

Laager,  Henry,  father  of  Henry  Laager,  Jr. 

Lacoste,  J.  B.,  father  of  Lucian,  and  Mrs.  Ferdinand 
Herff,  Jr. 

Ladner,  Nick,  father  of  Ladner  Bros.,  of  Eagle  Pass. 

Landa,  Joe,  father  of  Harry  Landa,  of  New  Braunfels. 

Lee,  Gen'l.  Robert  E. 

Leslie,  Jack. 

Lewis,  Nat.,  father  of  Nat.,  Jr.,  and  Dan  Lewis. 

Lockwood,  A.  A. 

Lytle,  "Uncle  Billy,"  father  of  Capt.  Sam  and  Charles 
Lytle. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  289 

Luckee,  W.  F.,  father  of  William,  Mary,  Emily,  Samuel, 
Julius,  Eugene,  Cornelius,  George,  and  Ella. 
Ludwig,  ,  father  of  Albert  Ludwig. 

Mackay,  Dr.  . 

Martin,  George,  father  of  George,  Jr.,  Jack,  and  Miss 
Belle  Martin. 

Mauermann,  ,  father  of  Alderman  Ben  and  Marshal 

Gus  A.  Mauermann. 

Mays,  N.  D.,  father  of  Allie  and  Garland  Mays,  also  of 
Mrs.  Capt.  Gosling  and  of  Mrs.  Judge  Tom  Mays. 

Maverick,  Samuel  A.,  father  of  Sam,  Lewis,  George,  Al- 
bert, and  William  Maverick,  also  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Terrell. 

McAllister,  Sam,  father  of  Willie,  Joe,  and  Ed.  McAl- 
lister. 

McCullough,  Sam,  father  of  Robert  and  Clark  McCul- 
lough. 

McCullouch,  Gen'l.  Henry  E. 

McCullough,  Gen'l.  Ben. 

McDonald,  John  S.,  father  of  John  McDonald. 

McLane,  . 

McLane,  H.  H. 

McMullen,  John,  and  family. 

Menger,  S.,  father  of  August,  Dr.  Rudolph,  and  Alderman 
Eric  Menger. 

Menger,  William,  father  of  Gustav  and  William  Menger. 

Menger,  George. 

Merick,  M.  L.,  father  of  Martin,  Wolfe,  and  Julia  Merick. 

Meyer,  ,  father  of  Albert,  Emil,  and  Edward  Meyer. 

Miles,  Ed. 

Minter,   Major,  and   family. 

Mitchell,  Asa,  father  of  Nathan  ("Old  Nat"),  Caro- 
line, William,  Milam,  Hiram,  Martin,  Laura,  Madison,  Jack, 
and  Wallace  Mitchell. 

Moore,  Sam,  and  family. 

Muenzenberger,  C.,  father  of  Ernest  Muenzenberger, 
Gen'l.  Agt.,  Nat'l.  Lines  of  Mexico. 


290  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

Nauwald,  C.  H.,  father  of  C.  H.  and  E.  A.  Nau- 
wald. 

Neighbors,  Major  ,  and  family. 

Nelson,  Capt.  G.,  father  of  T.  C.  Nelson. 

Nette,  A.,  father  of  August   Nette. 

Neubauer,  Fritz,  father  of  Fred,  Willie,  Adolph,  and 
Louis  Neubauer. 

Newton,  Frank,  father  of  Joe,  Lee,  Charley,  and  Frank 
Newton,  Jr.,  County  Clerk. 

Newton,  S.  G.,  father  of  S.  G.,  and  Tom  Newton, 
County  Attorney. 

Niggli,  John,  father  of  Emil,  Fritz,  and  Ferdinand  Nig- 
gli,  deceased. 

Noonan,  George  H.,  father  of  George  B.  and  Ralph 
Noonan. 

O'Day,  . 

Ogden,  Duncan  B. 
Ogden,  D.  C. 

Oge,  Louis,  father  of  George  Oge,  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Ber- 
trand. 

O'Ray,  William. 

Pancoast,   Josiah,   and   family. 

Pancoast,  Aaron,  and  family. 

Paschal,  Frank,  father  of  Dr.  Frank,  ex-Mayor  George, 
and  Ernest  Paschal,  deceased. 

Paschal,  Judge  J.  A.,  father  of  ex-Congressman  Tom 
Paschal. 

Piper,  ,  father  of  Fred,  Julius,  and  A.  C.  Piper. 

Pirie,  James,  and  family. 

Poor,  Ira  S.,  father  of  Capt.  D.  M.  and  Fred  Poor,  also 
step-father  of  W.  W.  and  Colon  D.  McRoe. 

Post,  and  family. 

Powers,   John    ("Kentuck"). 

Pfefferling,  Ed.,  father  of  Ed.,  Rudolph,  Henry,  and 
Abraham  Pfefferling. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  291 

Pyron,  Col.  Charles  L.,  father  of  Clara,  Ella,  Charlie, 
and  Mot  Pyron. 

Rice,  ,  father  of  Howell  Rice. 

Richardson,  Dean  W.  R. 

Riddle,  W.  I.,  father  of  Sarah  E.  Riddle  Eager  and  James 
W.  Riddle. 

Rische,  Ulrick,  father  of  Ernest,  Duck,  and  Edward 
Rische. 

Ritterman,  ,  father  of  Louis  and  Henry  Ritterman. 

Rossy,   Charles,   father   of  Charles   Rossy. 

Rothenflue,  George,  father  of  Peter  Rothenflue. 

Rummel,  Fritz,  father  of  Charles,  and  Fritz  Rummel,  Jr. 

Rummel,  Louis,  father  of  Gustave,  Fritz,  Louis,  and 
Adolph  Rummel. 

Russ,  ,  father  of  Max  Russ. 

Russi,  Michael,  father  of  Mrs.  George  R.   Stumberg. 

Russi,  David,  father  of  Fritz  Russi. 

Ryan,  ,  father  of  Joseph  Ryan,  City  Attorney  of 

San  Antonio. 

Sartor,  Alex,  father  of  Alexander  Sartor. 

Sauer,  Justus,  father  of  Paul,  Charles,  and  Ernest  Sauer. 

Schaffer,  Adam,  father  of  Henry  and  Philip  Schaffer. 

Schleman,  Dr.  . 

Schmeltzer,  Gustave,  father  of  Herman  and  Gus  Schmelt- 
zer. 

Schreiner,  Fritz,  father  of  Charles  Schreiner,  and  brother 
of  the  well-known  Capt.  Schreiner,  of  Kerrville. 

Schumacher,  Anton,  father  of  Henry,  William,  and 
Charles  Schumacher. 

Schunke,  ,  father  of  Louis,  Max,  Willie,  Charles, 

Otto,  and  Ed.  Schunke. 

Seffel,   Stephen,  father  of   Emanuel   Seffel. 

Seguin,  J.  N.,  a  sister  married  Ira  Hewett. 

Shiner,  Peter,  father  of  Joe,  Henry,  Mike,  Charles,  and 
Bee  Shiner. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Schleuning,  Theodore,  father  of  Fritz   Schleuning. 

Schleuning,  Herman,  father  of  Herman  Schleuning. 

Simpson,  I.  P.,  and   family. 

Small,  William,  and  family. 

Small,  L.,  father  of  Henry,  Fred,  and  Montgomery  Small. 

Smith,  Capt.  J.  W.,  and  family. 

Smith,   Samuel  S.,   father  of  Thad.   and  Robert  Smith. 

Smith,  Erastus    (Deaf),  and  family. 

Staacke,  A.,  father  of  Herman,  Gustave,  and  Rudolph 
Staacke,  deceased. 

Stevens,  ,  father  of  Constable  Charley  and  Ed. 

Stevens. 

Stevens,  John,  father  of  Postmaster  John,  Jr.,  Tom,  and 
Andrew  Stevens,  private  secretary  of  the  City  Brewery. 

Steves,  Ed.,  father  of  Ernest,  Albert,  and  Ed.  Steves,  Jr. 

Strohmeyer,  Emil,  father  of  Rudolph  Strohmeyer. 

Stumberg,  Diedrich,  father  of  George  R.  Stumberg,  also 
of  Louis  and  Henry  Stumberg,  deceased. 

Stuemke,  August,   father  of  George  Stuemke. 

Sutherland,  Dr.,  father  of  Leven,  Jack,  and  Rev.  

Sutherland. 

Sweet,  Colonel  James  R.,  father  of  Alex. 

Tobin,  William,  father  of  William  G.,  C.  M.,  and  Sheriff 
John  W.  Tobin. 

Teel,  T.  T.,  father  of  B.  F.,  Van,  F.  F.,,J.  F.,  W.  E. 
Teel,  also  Mrs.  Judge  Haltom. 

Teel,  R.  E. 

Tengg,  2  father  of  Nic  Tengg. 

Thiele,  ,   father  of  August  Thiele. 

Thomas,  Ben,  and  family. 

Thomas,  Wiley,  and  family. 

Trainor,  James,  father  of  John,  Capt.  James,  and  other 
children. 

Trueheart,  Thomas  L.,  father  of  James  L.,  A.  B.,  and 
H.  M.  Trueheart. 

Twohig,  John. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  293 

Ulrich,  Joseph,  father  of  Lewis  Ulrich. 
Umscheid,  Frank,  father  of  Joe  Umscheid,  J.  P. 
Upson,  Columbus,  father  of  James  and  George  Upson. 

Vance,  William,   father   of  William  and  John  Vance. 
Vanderlip,  . 

Waelder,  Major  Jacob,  father  of  Bradley  and  Carlo  Wael- 
der. 

Wallace,   William,    Alexander,    Anderson    ("Big   Foot"). 

Weber,   Jacob,   and   family. 

Wefing,  ,  father  of  Louis  and  Otto  Wefing,  who  are 

half-brothers  of  Adolph  and  Capt.  Eugene  Hernandez. 

Weidemann,  Dr. 

Welter,  ,  father  of  Carl  Welter. 

Wernette,  John,  father  of  Josie,  Charles,  and  John  Wer- 
nette. 

Weyel,  Jacob,  father  of  Albert,  and  Ferdinand  Weyel, 
deceased. 

Weyel,  William,  father  of  Willie,  Louis,  Theodore,  and 
Punk  Weyel. 

Wilkins,  John,  father  of  John  Wilkins. 

Willie,  . 

Wheeler,  Judge  ,  and  family. 

Whitehead,  Thomas,  second  husband  of  Mrs.  Urutia. 

Wolcken,  ,  father  of  John  and  Christian  Wolcken. 

Wurzbach,  Charles,  father  of  William,  Charles,  Dr. 
George,  and  Harry,  County  Judge  of  Seguin. 

Worth,  Gen'l.  William,  U.  S.  A.,  and  family. 

Zander,  August,  father  of  August,  Julius,  and  Adolph 
Zander. 

Zork,   Louis,   father  of  Ralph,   Jack,   and   Julius   Zork. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 

A  SUPPLEMENTAL  history  of  the  settlement  of  west 
Texas  would  be  incomplete  without  a  description  of  the 
four  frontier  states  of  Mexico,  and  three  others  in  the 
interior  lying  south  of  them.  But  before  entering  into 
details  I  will  call  attention  to  the  conditions  of  the  coun- 
try, also  to  some  of  the  prejudices  of  the  people  before 
the  age  of  railroads,  when  I  was  familiar  with  the  coun- 
try, and  compare  them  with  those  that  exist  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  In  this  connection  the  fact  should  be  noticed 
that  I  became  familiar  with  the  states  of  Tamaulipas, 
Nuevo  Leon,  San  Luis  Potosi,  Coahuila  Chihuahua  and 
Durango,  before  and  after  the  great  Civil  War  in  the 
United  States,  but  I  did  not  visit  Queretaro  until  1889, 
when  going  to  the  City  of  Mexico  by  rail. 

Then  there  were  no  railroads  leading  into  the  Republic 
of  Mexico  and  all  the  highways  in  those  sections  were 
not  only  rough,  but  it  was  dangerous  to  travel  over  them 
because  there  was  always  a  great  risk  of  encountering 
robbers  and  wild  Indians.  The  settlements  were  sep- 
arated by  long  distances  between ;  the  people  were  almost 
destitute  of  the  necessities  of  life;  and  places  of  enter- 
tainment, except  in  large  towns,  were  of  the  rudest  de- 
scription. Traveling  was  nearly  all  done  on  horseback 
or  in  private  conveyances,  and  merchandise  or  other  com- 
modities was  transported  on  carts  or  wagons  over  routes 
leading  from  prominent  seaports  to  cities  in  the  interior. 
European  nations  monopolized  nearly  all  the  trade  of  the 
country,  and  they  controlled  its  exports  in  exchange  for 
the  manufactured  goods  received  from  those  countries. 

Commercial  intercourse  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico  was  restricted  by  popular  prejudices  on  both 

294 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  295 

sides,  that  was  expressed  in  the  trade  relations  between 
the  two  Republics  until  the  transactions  were  not  worth 
considering  because  of  their  insignificance.  The  causes 
which  were  responsible  for  the  boycott  may  be  traced 
through  the  histories  of  the  past,  and  especially  to  the 
war  in  which  the  nations  engaged,  that  provoked  a  bitter 
hatred  between  the  two  races,  but  there  is  no  necessity 
for  noticing  them  in  this  connection.  It  is  sufficient  to 
know  that  in  Mexico  the  feeling  existed  against  the 
United  States  in  its  most  intense  form,  and  it  is  a  known 
fact  that  the  better  class  of  citizens  disliked  to  visit 
Texas,  and  disapproved  the  idea  of  educating  their  chil- 
dren anywhere  in  the  United  States.  For  that  reason 
many  of  their  young  men  were  sent  to  school  in  Europe 
rather  than  have  them  learn  the  English  language  or 
adopt  American  customs. 

No  effort  was  made  to  counteract  this  bad  feeling  in 
the  United  States  where  it  was  generally  encouraged; 
and  it  was  reciprocated  by  respectable  Americans  who 
visited  Mexico  occasionally  on  business  connected  with 
mercantile  affairs  or  mining  property.  But  a  few 
Americans  owned  business  houses  in  that  country  and  in- 
troduced small  lots  of  goods  manufactured  in  the  United 
States,  although  there  was  little  demand  for  them.  For- 
eigners of  English,  German,  and  French  origin  who  en- 
gaged in  business  in  the  interior  were  liberally  patronized, 
and  the  goods  they  handled  were  all  imported  from 
Europe  in  wholesale  quantities ;  but  in  1868  a  demand  was 
created  for  merchandise  of  American  manufacture  which 
gradually  increased  until  they  became  a  necessity.  In 
this  connection  I  will  notice  the  fact  that  nearly  all  the 
freight  hauled  overland  to  Mexico,  until  1880,  was  im- 
ported from  Europe  and  passed  through  Texas  under 
bond.  I  will  also  state  that  during  my  intercourse  with 
the  people  of  Mexico  I  rarely  heard  a  word  of  the  English 
language,  and  it  was  never  spoken  in  business  houses, 
but  the  conditions  have  undergone  a  perceptible  change 


296  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

on  account  of  business  relations  that  have  been  estab- 
lished with  the  United  States  in  recent  years  with  the 
aid  of  railroads. 

The  changes  were  brought  about  by  means  of  com- 
mercial enterprises  which  have  made  it  possible  for  busi- 
ness energy  to  work  untrammeled,  and  forced  the  intelli- 
gence of  the  two  countries  to  realize  that  a  closer  union 
between  them  is  unavoidable.  Mexico  is  preparing  for 
it  by  educating  hundreds  of  her  young  men  in  the  col- 
leges of  San  Antonio,  and  Americans  are  showing  their 
confidence  in  the  prospects  of  the  future  by  investing  mil- 
lions of  dollars  in  that  country  where  they  own  and  con- 
trol large  properties.  These  influences  have  promoted 
trade,  and  the  vast  railroad  systems  which  the  necessities 
of  commerce  have  created  have  linked  the  two  countries 
together  with  bonds  of  steel  that  will  encourage  friend- 
ship and  assure  perpetual  peace. 

These  efforts  of  a  later  generation  to  forget  the  wrongs 
and  differences  of  the  past,  that  are  charged  against  both 
republics,  have  been  successful  from  a  commercial  point  of 
view,  and  in  the  course  of  time  a  more  liberal  feeling  will 
be  entertained  by  the  masses.  These  amicable  relations 
should  be  cultivated  in  Mexico,  and  Texans  should  be 
reminded  that  Mexico  was  the  mother  that  sheltered 
their  state  in  its  infancy,  until  the  constitution  of  1824 
was  trampled  under  foot  by  a  military  despotism,  before 
it  seceded  from  that  republic,  and  they  should  grasp  the 
friendly  hand  that  has  been  extended  to  them  by  the 
present  government  over  the  chasm  in  which  all  their  past 
differences  ought  to  be  buried. 

My  personal  relations  with  Mexico  have  always  been 
pleasant,  and  I  entertain  grateful  feelings  because  of  the 
liberal  and  courteous  treatment  that  was  received  by  me 
from  the  government  and  people  on  every  occasion,  when 
I  visited  that  country  on  business  or  pleasure.  I  have 
many  warm  friends  who  live  there,  therefore  I  would  not 
say  anything  to  offend  or  misrepresent  them,  and  I  trust 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  297 

that  no  information  of  mine  will  be  misconstrued,  either 
in  what  I  have  written  or  in  the  descriptions  of  the  states 
which  follow. 

CHIHUAHUA 

This  state  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  United 
States,  on  the  east  by  Coahuila,  on  the  south  by  Dur- 
ango,  and  on  the  west  by  Sonora  and  Simaloa.  It  is  the 
largest  and  the  farthest  north  of  any  in  the  Mexican  Re- 
public. Its  greatest  width  is  360  American  miles,  and 
its  extreme  length  is  about  450  miles.  The  area  of  the 
state  is  estimated  at  83,746  square  miles,  and  the  census 
of  1900  gave  it  245,657  inhabitants. 

The  city  of  Chihuahua  is  the  capital  of  the  state,  and 
it  is  beautifully  situated,  near  its  center,  in  a  large  plain, 
at  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Madre  range.  The  Mexican 
Central  Railroad,  which  extends  from  Ciudad  Juarez,  op- 
posite El  Paso,  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  passes  through  the 
city;  and  another  road  is  being  constructed  from  there 
to  Presidio  del  Norte,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  and  also  west- 
ward to  the  Gulf  of  California,  both  of  which  will  soon 
be  completed.  Many  towns  and  villages  are  scattered  over 
the  state  and  some  of  them  are  destined  to  become  places 
of  importance  on  account  of  their  favorable  locations. 

The  western  portion  of  the  state  is  broken  by  several 
chains  of  high  mountains,  with  a  number  of  deep  canons 
between,  from  which  flow  numerous  beautiful  streams  of 
clear  water  that  empty  in  the  gulf  of  California;  but 
there  are  also  many  wide  valleys  of  fertile  land  that  pro- 
duce luxurious  grasses  and  timber  in  great  variety.  The 
surface  of  the  country  towards  the  east  is  less  rugged 
and  the  country  is  more  accessible.  In  the  northern  part 
of  the  state  in  the  neighborhood  of  Juarez  is  a  desert 
sixty  miles  square,  that  is  difficult  and  sometimes  danger- 
ous to  cross  on  account  of  the  sand  which  is  constantly 
drifting  and  forming  hills  called  madonos.  The  Rio 
Concho,  which  rises  in  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  and 


298  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

runs  through  the  state  360  miles  to  Presidio  del  Norte, 
where  it  empties  in  the  Rio  Grande,  which  is  the  state's 
boundary  line  on  the  north,  below  El  Paso,  is  the  longest 
river  in  the  Repubh'c.  The  greater  part  of  the  valley  is 
in  cultivation  and  the  land  under  irrigation  is  very  pro- 
ductive, and  Irish  potatoes  grow  wild. 

The  live  stock  interests  in  the  state  are  very  great 
and  there  are  many  large  ranches  on  which  vast  num- 
bers of  horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep  and  goats  are  profit- 
ably raised  on  the  untillable  lands  which  afford  an  ex- 
cellent pasturage. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  state  is  justly  considered  to 
be  greater  than  in  any  other  part  of  Mexico.  The 
Spaniards  worked  the  mines  in  early  times  and  several 
of  them  were  made  to  yield  sixteen  ounces  of  silver  per 
cargo,  of  300  pounds,  but  they  were  unprotected  from 
the  Indians,  and  when  sufficient  labor  or  timber  for  se- 
curing the  shafts  could  not  be  had  they  were  abandoned. 
Since  the  conditions  have  changed,  through  the  facilities 
offered  by  railroad  transportation,  the  old  mines  have 
been  opened  by  American  capitalists  and  are  worked  by 
modern  machinery  under  the  direction  of  skillful  engi- 
neers so  as  to  yield  enormous  profits.  Many  new  mines 
in  other  localities  have  also  been  opened  and  American 
enterprise,  backed  by  unlimited  capital,  has  introduced 
new  methods,  and  the  mineral  resources  of  that  region 
are  being  developed  into  enormous  proportions. 

The  government  maintains  two  custom  houses  on  the 
Rio  Grande  within  the  borders  of  the  state, — one  at 
Ciudad  Juarez  and  the  other  at  Presidio  del  Norte, — 
where  all  the  duties  are  paid  on  imports  subject  to  tariff, 
and  the  northern  border  is  strictly  guarded  to  prevent 
smuggling.  These  institutions  were  established  for  the 
collection  of  taxes  on  foreign  imports  long  before  rail- 
roads were  built  through  that  country,  and  they  have 
become  important  ports  of  entry  since  the  Southern 
Pacific  was  completed  through  Texas. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  299 

The  present  conditions  in  the  state  can  not  be  com- 
pared to  those  that  existed  when  I  freighted  to  Chihuahua, 
but  the  room  for  improvement  is  still  very  perceptible. 
These  changes  have  been  brought  about  by  railroads, 
which  have  developed  the  country  and  encouraged 
friendly  and  commercial  intercourse  with  the  United 
States  and  other  foreign  countries  whose  citizens  have 
invested  enormous  sums  of  money  within  its  borders. 

Among  the  first  foreigners  that  settled  in  Chihuahua, 
between  1848  and  1855,  were  Henry  Mueller,  Emil 
Schadlig,  F.  Feltmann,  Carl,  Gustave  and  William  Moye, 
Frank  Mollmann,  A.  F.  Wulff,  Frank,  George  and  Ed- 
win McManus,  and  J.  P.  Hickman,  father  of  James  P. 
Hickman,  Jr.,  proprietor  of  the  Southern  Hotel  in  San 
Antonio,  and  Henry  Creel  and  family,  father  of  Henry 
Clay  Creel,  present  governor  of  the  state  of  Chi- 
huahua. 

These  and  other  foreign-born  citizens  were  prominent 
business  men  in  the  city  when  I  was  engaged  in  freight- 
ing; but  since  then  the  population  of  other  nationalities 
has  greatly  increased,  and  a  large  part  of  the  business 
is  under  their  control.  The  country  is  being  developed 
very  rapidly,  especially  its  mineral  wealth  which  offers 
flattering  inducements  for  the  investment  of  capital.  Im- 
portant railroad  lines  are  being  constructed  which  will 
largely  augment  the  resources  of  the  state,  and  when 
the  route  leading  from  Presidio  del  Norte  to  Topolo- 
bampo  is  completed,  via  the  city  of  Chihuahua,  it  will  be 
the  most  direct  route  from  San  Antonio  to  the  Pacific 
coast. 

COAHUILA 

This  state  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Texas,  on  the 
east  by  Nuevo  Leon,  on  the  south  by  Zacatecas,  and  on 
the  west  by  Chihuahua  and  Durango.  The  state  has  an 
area  of  50,890  square  miles  and  the  population  in  1900 
was  144,594. 


500  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

When  the  Mexican  Republic  was  first  organized 
Coahuila  and  Texas  were  united  as  one  state  and  they 
became  known  as  the  "  Twin  Sisters."  The  boundary 
line  between  them  was  not  clearly  defined,  and  later  the 
Medina  and  Nueces  Rivers  were  both  claimed  on  Spanish 
evidence  as  the  eastern  limits  of  Coahuila.  The  seat  of 
government  of  the  two  states  was  originally  at  Monclova, 
but  it  was  subsequently  removed  to  Saltillo,  the  present 
capital  of  Coahuila,  contrary  to  a  petition  of  the  citizens 
of  Texas,  who  opposed  its  removal  on  account  of  its 
greater  distance  and  the  dangers  of  the  route  which 
made  it  almost  inaccessible  to  their  delegates. 

Saltillo  is  an  Indian  name  which  means  "  highlands 
with  much  water,"  and  as  the  town  is  situated  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a  high  hill  that  is  the  source  of  many  gushing 
fountains,  the  appropriateness  of  the  name  is  obvious. 
The  city  is  of  considerable  importance  and  it  has  about 
25,000  inhabitants.  The  most  prominent  of  its  numerous 
churches  is  beautifully  ornamented  with  sculpture,  and 
it  has  besides  a  number  of  important  buildings  and  other 
interesting  features  that  include  an  amphitheater,  a  pub- 
lic garden,  a  central  plaza,  around  which  the  governor's 
palace  and  other  government  buildings  are  situated,  also 
an  alameda  planted  with  beautiful  shade  trees.  In  its 
vicinity  are  several  large  factories  that  are  successfully 
operated  by  water  power. 

Several  large  towns  and  many  villages  are  situated  in 
the  state,  which  are  sustained  by  about  fifty  manufactur- 
ing enterprises,  including  factories,  flour,  corn  and  saw- 
mills, and  other  local  industries.  The  principal  import- 
ing point  within  the  borders  of  the  state  is  Ciudad  Por- 
firio  Diaz,  that  was  formerly  known  as  Piedras  Negras, 
which  is  opposite  Eagle  Pass,  where  a  Federal  custom- 
house has  long  been  established.  A  bridge  crosses  the 
Rid  Grande  at  that  point  which  connects  the  Southern 
Pacific  system  with  the  Mexican  National  Railroad 
and  other  important  highways  leading  into  Mexico. 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  301 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  state  has  long  been  known 
and  esteemed  for  its  riches,  though  its  development  was 
interrupted  many  years  by  the  Indians.  Some  of  the 
high  grade  ores  taken  from  the  mines  have  assayed  a 
very  rich  yield  in  silver,  and  others  of  copper,  lead,  etc., 
are  producing  profitable  returns.  All  of  the  old  mines 
are  now  worked  and  many  new  claims  have  been  opened 
in  recent  years  which  foreign  capital  is  developing  with 
improved  machinery  in  accordance  with  modern  methods. 

A  large  area  of  the  state  is  mountainous  and  not  suit- 
able for  cultivation,  but  much  of  the  tillable  land  is  irri- 
gated and  the  soil  produces  abundant  crops  of  corn, 
wheat,  cotton,  sugar-cane  and  all  the  fruits  of  a  tem- 
perate climate ;  grapes  are  grown  in  quantities,  and  wine 
made  in  that  region  received  the  gold  medal  at  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition,  also  Mescal  of  the  best  quality  is  pro- 
duced from  the  Maguey  plant.  The  nutritious  grasses 
of  the  grazing  lands  sustain  large  herds  of  animals  and 
all  kinds  of  live  stock  do  well. 

Don  Evaristo  Madero,  who  was  governor  of  the  state 
about  twenty-five  years  ago,  was  distinguished  for  his 
liberality  and  enterprising  spirit  which  his  enormous 
wealth  enabled  him  to  exercise  in  many  ways  for  the  good 
of  the  state.  He  accepted  the  executive  office  contrary 
to  his  inclinations,  and  afterwards  distributed  his  salary 
among  the  poor.  I  knew  him  well  through  business 
transactions  and  Carlos  Griesenbach  was  his  intimate 
friend.  The  governor  has  been  an  exhibitor  at  the  three 
last  International  Fairs  in  San  Antonio,  and  secured 
premiums  on  a  great  variety  of  liquors  of  all  kinds,  in- 
cluding wines,  brandy,  etc.,  of  his  own  manufacture. 
This  fact  shows  that  he  has  broad  views  that  are  not 
confined  to  his  own  country  and  that  he  realizes  the  im- 
portance of  cultivating  commercial  relations  with  the 
United  States.  The  Sisters  of  the  Ursuline  Academy, 
in  San  Antonio,  have  good  reasons  for  holding  him  in 
grateful  remembrance  because  of  the  aid  he  extended  to 


30£  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

them    during   and   after   the   Civil  War  in   the   United 
States. 

NUEVO    LEON 

This  state  has  a  very  irregular  outline.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Texas  and  Tamaulipas,  on  the 
east  and  south  by  Tamaulipas  and  San  Luis  Potosi,  and 
on  the  north  and  west  by  San  Luis  Potosi  and  Coahuila. 
The  state  has  an  area  of  23,635  square  miles  and  the 
census  of  1900  gave  it  650,000  inhabitants. 

When  the  country  was  first  organized  under  Spanish 
rule  Nuevo  Reino  de  Leon  was  a  kingdom,  as  the  name 
indicates,  which  embraced  Nuevo  Leon  and  all  the  ad- 
joining states,  with  its  capital  at  Monclova.  After- 
wards it  was  reduced  to  three  of  said  states,  which  be- 
came a  province,  and  now  it  is  the  smallest  of  the  Re- 
publican states  that  were  carved  from  its  territory.  Its 
greatest  length  is  about  300  miles,  and  it  is  only  about 
125  miles  across  its  widest  part. 

The  historic  city  of  Monterey  is  the  capital  of  the 
state  and  it  has  about  90,000  inhabitants  at  the  present 
time.  The  altitude  of  the  city  is  1630  feet  above  the  sea 
level,  and  it  is  situated  in  a  delightful  and  healthful 
climate  about  630  miles  from  the  City  of  Mexico.  Moun- 
tain spurs  from  the  Sierra  Madre  range  nearly  surround 
the  city  and  form  valleys  that  lead  out  from  it.  The 
most  attractive  of  these  elevations  is  the  Sierra  de  la 
Silla,  or  Saddle  Mountain,  which  rises  six  miles  distant 
in  a  southerly  direction.  All  the  railroads  that  connect 
with  those  which  pass  through  Texas  and  others  of  equal 
importance  center  in  Monterey.  These  national  high- 
ways afford  rapid  transportation  to  all  parts  of  the  Re- 
public, and  they  facilitate  the  commercial  energy  of  its 
citizens  who  are  making  the  city  an  emporium  of  trade 
for  the  northern  part  of  Mexico. 

Before  railroads  were  dreamed  of,  its  factories  and 
other  industries  attracted  attention  on  account  of  its 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  303 

natural  advantages,  but  its  prominence  has  since  been 
largely  increased  by  the  benefits  they  have  conferred. 
Manufacturing  establishments  are  converting  the  raw 
material  of  the  country  into  merchantable  commodities 
and  large  foundries  are  fusing  its  valuable  iron  ore  into 
steel  rails,  etc.,  for  commercial  and  industrial  purposes. 
The  vast  opportunities  that  a  progressive  policy  has  con- 
ferred on  the  city  have  given  it  an  importance  in  Mexico 
equal  to  that  which  Chicago  holds  in  the  United  States 
as  a  commercial  center.  jBftncroft  Libfaril 

Some  valuable  mines  have  been  developed  in  tne^tate 
since  1890  which  are  yielding  profitable  returns.  Before 
that  date  primitive  methods,  which  involved  a  small  out- 
lay of  capital,  were  commonly  employed  and  all  the  work 
was  near  the  surface.  Mines  have  been  discovered  in 
which  silver,  copper,  iron,  sulphur  and  valuable  marble 
are  found  and  they  will  add  to  the  wealth  of  the  state  in 
the  course  of  time.  The  principal  mining  towns  are 
Jimenez,  Linares,  Montemorelos,  Salinas,  Cerralvo,  Vil- 
aldama  and  many  other  important  and  beautiful 
places. 

A  considerable  area  of  land  is  in  cultivation  and  that 
under  irrigation  yields  abundant  harvests  of  corn,  oats, 
wheat,  beans,  pepper  and  sugar  cane.  Irish  potatoes 
grow  wild  in  the  mountains  and  a  variety  of  other  vege- 
tables constitute  a  part  of  the  tillable  crops.  Fruits  of 
all  kinds  thrive  to  perfection  and  the  oranges  grown  in 
the  vicinity  of  Monterey  are  classed  as  the  best  that 
Mexico  produces.  Land  not  suitable  for  tillage  is  de- 
voted to  ranch  purposes  and  large  numbers  of  horses, 
cattle,  sheep  and  goats  are  raised  on  the  excellent  pas- 
turage that  sustains  them  in  good  condition. 

TAMAUIJPAS 

This  state  is  the  extreme  northeastern  division  of  the 
Mexican  Republic  and  its  boundary  line  on  the  north  is 


304  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

the  Rio  Grande,  which  separates  it  from  Texas.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  on  the  south 
by  the  states  of  Vera  Cruz  and  San  Luis  Potosi;  and  on 
the  west  by  Nuevo  Leon.  The  state  has  an  area  of 
30,225  square  miles  and  its  population  in  1900  was 
141,000  souls.  The  Nueces  River,  in  Texas,  was  claimed 
by  Tamaulipas  as  its  northern  boundary  until  that 
part  of  its  territory  was  relinquished  in  1848,  under  the 
treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo. 

Ciudad  Victoria  is  the  capital  of  the  state,  and  it  is 
beautifully  situated  near  the  base  of  a  high  mountain 
where  it  is  almost  surrounded  by  attractive  gardens, 
orchards,  and  fields  of  sugar-cane  and  corn,  which  are 
irrigated  from  large  streams  of  clear  water.  The  Mexi- 
can Central  Railroad  that  connects  Tampico  with  Mon- 
terey passes  near  the  city  and  affords  direct  communica- 
tion with  the  outside  world.  Before  it  was  completed 
the  town  had  only  about  10,000  inhabitants,  when  I  vis- 
ited it  in  1863.  There  were  no  local  industries  in  the 
town  then  and  its  trade  was  insignificant ;  there  were  no 
attractions  and  its  only  place  of  interest  was  an  old 
church  which  was  built  in  the  eighteenth  century,  but 
never  finished.  Its  walls  are  scarred  by  marks  of  shot 
and  shell  similar  to  those  on  the  high  loopholed  walls 
which  surround  the  grave-yard  that  occupies  a  command- 
ing position  and  was  evidently  built  for  and  used  as  a 
fortification.  They  are  reminders  of  the  civil  wars  that 
were  constantly  waged  for  many  years  in  the  state  by 
the  frontier  generals,  Canalles  and  Cortinas. 

The  railroad  has  added  greatly  to  the  prominence  of 
the  capital  and  its  importance  as  a  commercial  city  will 
increase  when  the  state  develops  its  latent  wealth  under 
the  present  liberal  policy  of  the  government.  A  railroad 
from  Matamoras  southward  through  the  tropical  regions, 
near  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  will  become  a  necessity  in  a  few 
years.  Rapid  transportation  for  the  products  of  that 
country  to  the  markets  of  the  United  States  will  be  se- 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  305 

cured,  and  the  road  would  establish  another  bond  that 
will  unite  the  common  interests  of  the  two  republics. 

Matamoras  is  one  of  the  principal  ports  of  entry  and 
it  is  the  largest  city  in  the  state.  It  is  favorably  sit- 
uated on  the  south  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite 
Brownsville,  in  Texas,  and  thirty-five  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  which  gives  it  a  safe  harbor  near  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  and  makes  it  the  most  northern  seaport  in 
the  republic.  Before  the  Civil  War  in  the  United  States 
the  place  was  scarcely  known,  but  after  all  the  ports  in 
the  Southern  Confederacy  were  blockaded  the  Southern 
troops  held  possession  of  the  Rio  Grande.  Matamoras 
was  a  friendly  port  that  was  open  to  the  ships  of  all  na- 
tions, and  they  flocked  to  its  harbor  with  cargoes  of 
freight  to  exchange  for  the  cotton  which  was  hauled  on 
wagons  from  the  interior  of  Texas.  Thousands  of  bales 
were  conveyed  across  the  river  and  passed  through  the 
custom-house,  in  Matamoras,  before  it  could  be  sold ;  con- 
sequently it  became  the  most  important  cotton  market  in 
the  world.  The  demand  was  greater  than  the  supply 
and  the  fleecy  staple  sold  at  fifty  cents,  or  perhaps  more, 
per  pound  in  gold;  but  nearly  all  of  it  was  spent  in  the 
purchase  of  goods  by  individual  purchasers  for  home  use 
at  exorbitant  prices. 

The  population  of  the  city  increased  during  that  period 
to  about  35,000,  of  all  classes,  in  which  many  nationali- 
ties were  represented.  The  greater  part  were  Mexicans, 
but  a  large  number  were  refugees  or  deserters  from  the 
Southern  states  and  others  were  from  the  Northern  states 
and  from  Europe.  The  duties  received  by  the  Mexican 
custom-house  on  imports  and  exports  yielded  an  enormous 
sum  to  the  government  before  United  States  troops  oc- 
cupied the  lower  Rio  Grande  country  and  cut  off  the 
trade  from  Texas.  i 

The  prominence  that  Matamoras  acquired  under  such 
conditions,  and  later  during  the  war  against  Maximilian, 
secured  for  it  an  important  trade  with  the  northern  states 


306  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

of  Mexico  that  has  constantly  increased.  The  National 
Railroad  which  extends  up  the  Rio  Grande  valley  and 
southwestward  to  Monterey,  has  established  direct  com- 
munication with  the  interior  of  Mexico,  and  the  St.  Louis, 
Brownsville  and  Mexico  Railway  connects  it  with  all  the 
important  railroad  systems  in  the  United  States.  Other 
railroads  to  that  point  are  being  discussed  and  un- 
doubtedly one  or  more  direct  lines  from  San  Antonio  to 
Brownsville  will  be  completed  in  the  near  future. 

Nuevo   Laredo,    on    the   Rio    Grande,   is    another   im- 
portant port   of  entry  within  the  borders   of  the  state. 
The    Mexican    National,    the    International    and    Great 
Northern,  and  the  Texas-Mexican  Railroads,  which  con- 
nect  Monterey   with   San   Antonio    and   Corpus    Christr 
form  a  junction  on  the  bridge  that  spans  the  river  b 
tween  the  old  and  new  town  of  Laredo.     Both  are  i 
proving  rapidly  under  the  magic  touch  of  progress  av 
the  destiny  of  the  two  towns  is  not  involved  in  doubt  be 
cause  that  point  is   an  important  gateway  between  the 
two  republics. 

The  Cordilleras  range  that  traverses  the  state  from 
northeast  to  southwest  and  separates  it  from  Nuevo 
Leon,  forms  a  barrier  toward  the  west  that  is  almost 
impassable;  but  the  spurs  extending  from  the  mountains 
enclose  many  lovely  valleys  of  considerable  extent  which 
sustain  a  large  population.  The  climate  west  of  the 
mountains  is  temperate  and  dry,  but  that  towards  the 
east  is  moist  and  much  warmer,  and  at  certain  seasons 
portions  of  it  are  subject  to  heavy  rain  storms  which  do 
much  harm. 

The  mountainous  j)prtion  of  the  state  is  rich  in  min- 
erals, and  the  deposits  of  gold,  silver,  etc.,  seem  to  be  in- 
exhaustible. Many  mines  have  been  worked  profitably 
for  years,  and  probably  others  that  were  once  abandoned 
because  of  unfavorable  surroundings,  have  been  developed 
by  foreign  capital  since  new  methods  have  been 
introduced. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  807 

The  cultivable  land  is  fertile  and  produces  cotton, 
corn,  rice,  sugar-cane,  beans,  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes 
with  little  labor.  Tropical  fruit  in  great  variety,  and 
many  kinds  that  are  common  in  northern  climates,  grow 
to  perfection.  The  timbered  portion  of  the  state  is 
mostly  confined  to  the  mountains,  but  there  is  an 
abundance  in  other  parts  that  is  suitable  for  building 
purposes. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  state  and  that  bordering 
on  the  Rio  Grande,  is  admirably  adapted  for  ranch  pur- 
poses, and  large  numbers  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and 
goats  are  raised  at  small  cost.  The  finest  mules  in  the 
Republic  are  bred  in  the  state  and  they  always  find  a 
~ady  market. 

Before  closing  the  subject  I  will  give  a  brief  descrip- 
i  of  the  states  immediately  south  of  and  joining  those 

/derihg  on  Texas.  They  were  once  politically  asso- 
ated  with  Texas,  when  Spain  held  dominion  over  the 
country;  and  now  they  are  related  through  commercial 
interests.  My  acquaintance  with  all  that  region  will 
warrant  my  calling  attention  to  it  and  justify  me  in 
noticing  a  few  of  its  attractions  with  which  I  am  familiar. 

SAN  LUIS  POTOSI 

This  state  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  Nuevo 
Leon  and  Tamaulipas ;  on  the  south  by  Hidalgo,  Quere- 
taro,  and  Guanajuato ;  and  on  the  west  by  Zacatecas. 
It  has  an  area  of  23,635  miles,  and  in  1900  it  had  210,000 
inhabitants. 

The  city  of  San  Luis  Potosi  is  the  capital  of  the  state. 
It  was  once  the  capital  of  one  of  the  intendencies  into 
which  Mexico  was  divided  when  under  Spanish  rule  and 
Texas  was  one  of  its  provinces,  forming  part  of  the 
tenth  brigade.  I  have  described  its  appearance  as  I  saw 
it  in  1862  in  Chapter  III,  but  since  that  date  the  Mexican 
National  and  Mexican  Central  have  been  built  through 


308  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

the  city,  which  connect  it  with  the  railroad  systems  in 
Mexico,  and  its  importance  as  a  commercial  center  at  the 
present  time  cannot  be  underrated.  It  has  always  been 
noted  for  its  local  industries,  and  it  is  destined  to  become 
a  manufacturing  city.  There  are  several  other  cities 
situated  in  rich  mining  districts  with  large  populations. 

The  mines  of  the  state  rank  among  the  richest  in  the 
country,  and  many  of  the  metallic  veins  in  various  locali- 
ties are  now  worked  by  foreign  capital  that  is  doing  so 
much  to  advance  the  prosperity  of  Mexico.  All  of  the 
precious  minerals  are  found  in  paying  quantities,  and 
many  of  the  baser  metals,  particularly  iron  ore,  in  large 
deposits. 

The  surface  of  the  state  is  broken  by  chains  of  moun- 
tains which  run  across  it  and  form  many  large  and 
beautiful  valleys.  They  are  spurs  of  the  Cordilleras 
range  which  extends  over  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
Mexican  Republic  and  form  a  natural  boundary  between 
the  state  and  Tamaulipas.  The  most  remarkable  chains 
are  the  Sierra  de  San  Luis  and  Sierra  Gorda,  which  bound 
the  state  on  the  south  and  separate  it  from  the  states 
of  Guanajuato,  Queretaro  and  Mexico. 

Many  varieties  of  valuable  timber  are  native  to  the 
southern  portions  of  the  state;  lemons,  oranges,  peaches, 
pears,  apricots,  and  other  fruit  peculiar  to  Mexico,  are 
grown  in  its  temperate  climate ;  corn,  oatsr  and  all  kinds 
of  vegetables  are  successfully  cultivated;  and  cotton, 
coffee,  sugar-cane  and  tobacco  are  produced  with  profit. 

A  large  area  of  the  state  is  devoted  to  the  raising  of 
live  stock  and  large  numbers  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and 
goats  add  to  the  taxable  wealth  of  the  state.  One  of 
the  largest  and  most  valuable  estates  in  Mexico  lies 
partly  within  its  boundaries.  It  is  situated  on  the  table 
lands  and  it  contains  nearly  900,000  acres  in  one  body, 
which  extends  into  three  adjoining  states.  The  name  of 
this  vast  estate  is  San  Rafael  del  Salado  y  Agua  Dulce, 
but  it  is  commonly  known  as  El  Salado.  General  Don 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  309 

Juan  Bustamente,  ex-Governor  of  San  Luis  Potosi,  owns 
the  property. 

aUERETARO 

This  state  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  San  Luis 
Potosi ;  on  the  east  by  Hidalgo ;  on  the  south  by  the  state 
of  Mexico;  and  on  the  west  by  Guanajuato. 

The  state  has  an  area  of  3,027  square  miles,  and 
according  to  the  census  of  1890,  it  had  203,290  inhab- 
itants. 

A  great  variety  of  minerals  are  found  in  the  state  and 
a  number  of  mines  that  had  been  worked  before  I  visited 
the  country  were  then  idle  because  of  the  lack  of  enter- 
prise and  the  want  of  capital,  but  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  the  rich  resources  of  the  state  have  been  greatly 
developed  under  more  favorable  conditions. 

The  state  is  well  watered,  but  none  of  the  streams  are 
navigable.  Fruit  and  vegetables  in  great  variety  and 
every  agricultural  product  that  grows  in  the  United 
States  flourishes  in  that  delightful  climate.  Many 
species  of  timber  are  found  in  the  mountains,  and  the 
untillable  land  affords  an  excellent  range  for  live  stock 
of  all  kinds  which  are  raised  in  considerable  numbers. 

The  city  of  Queretaro  is  the  capital  of  the  state,  and 
it  is  situated  in  a  temperate  climate  about  two  hundred 
American  miles  in  a  northerly  direction  from  the  City  of 
Mexico. 

The  National  and  Mexican  Central  Railroads  pass 
through  the  city  and  connect  with  all  parts  of  the  Re- 
public. These  great  transportation  enterprises  have 
brought  about  many  changes,  but  its  ancient  features  are 
still  attractive,  and  among  them  are  several  fine  churches, 
a  large  hospital,  and  the  convents  of  San  Francisco, 
Santa  Cruz,  San  Antonio,  San  Domingo,  and  San 
Augustin. 

The  water  that  supplies  the  city  is  brought  from  the 
neighboring  mountains  through  a  large  aqueduct  that 


310  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

is  made  of  solid  masonry  laid  in  a  native  cement  which 
has  stood  the  test  of  centuries  in  Mexico,  where  it  is  in 
general  use.  The  channel,  that  conveys  the  water  to  the 
city  in  a  constant  stream,  is  about  ten  feet  in  width  and 
fully  seven  feet  deep. 

The  canal  was  built  on  a  certain  level,  but  owing  to 
the  irregular  surface  along  its  course,  it  was  necessary 
to  make  cuts  from  ten  to  fifty  feet  deep,  and  in  other 
places  the  duct  was  sustained  by  masonry  with  arches, 
some  of  which  are  eighty  feet  high.  The  work  was 
completed  over  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  it  is  said 
that  it  cost  $124,000.  The  surplus  water  after  supply- 
ing the  city  is  conveyed  in  ditches  to  the  gardens,  etc., 
in  the  vicinity,  and  the  irrigated  land  produces  all  kinds 
of  native  fruits  and  flowers  which  grow  to  perfection. 

Near  the  city  is  the  factory  of  Hercules,  that,  when 
I  saw  it,  was  represented  to  be  the  finest  and  largest 
establishment  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  It  is  said  that  it 
cost  over  $4,000,000,  and  in  1867  it  was  owned  by 
Francisco  Rubio.  Water,  steam,  and  horse-power  were 
used  to  run  the  machinery,  and  some  of  its  departments 
were  continually  at  work.  The  daily  output  was  about 
1800  bolts  of  unbleached  domestic,  and  at  night  a  large 
number  of  stones,  run  by  water-power,  were  employed  in 
grinding  quantities  of  wheat.  The  grounds  around  the 
factory  are  beautifully  improved,  and  one  of  the  attrac- 
tions is  a  statue  of  Hercules  that  was  brought  from  Italy, 
which  cost  $15,000. 

It  was  in  the  city  of  Queretaro  that  Maximilian  sus- 
tained a  siege  against  the  liberal  forces  of  Mexico  under 
General  Escobedo,  which  resulted  in  his  betrayal,  through 
the  treachery  of  his  bosom  friend,  Colonel  Miguel  Lopez, 
of  the  Empress'  regiment,  whom  he  had  just  made  a 
general,  and  he  surrendered  to  Generals  Palacio  and 
Escobedo  on  the  19th  of  May,  1867.  Maximilian  was 
subsequently  tried  before  a  military  tribunal,  and  shot, 
with  his  unfortunate  companions,  Generals  Mejia  and 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  311 

Miramon,  at  the  foot  of  "  Cerro  de  la  Cruz  "  on  the  19th 
of  June,  1867. 

ZACATECAS 

This  state  lies  northwest  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Coahuila;  on  the  east  by  San 
Luis  Potosi ;  on  the  south  by  the  states  of  Aguas 
Calientes  and  Jalisco,  and  on  the  west  by  Durango. 

Its  area  contains  22,998  square  miles,  and  in  1890  it 
had  470,000  inhabitants. 

The  city  of  Zacatecas  is  the  capital  of  the  state.  It 
is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state  in  a  canon 
that  runs  through  a  mountainous  district,  and  its  alti- 
tude is  7,500  feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  principal 
edifices  consist  of  the  governor's  palace,  the  mint,  a  city 
hall,  a  jail,  markets,  a  hospital,  a  theater  and  an  amphi- 
theater, a  cathedral  and  a  dozen  or  more  churches.  The 
Mexican  Central  Railroad  passes  through  the  city  from 
the  north  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  it  is  connected  with 
Tampico  by  the  same  system  over  another  route. 

The  greater  part  of  the  state  is  mountainous,  but  in 
the  eastern  portion  there  are  many  fertile  valleys  that 
are  capable  of  sustaining  a  large  population.  The 
climate  is  cold  in  the  more  elevated  portions,  but  it  is 
temperate  in  the  valleys. 

Many  species  of  timber  are  found  and  it  is  abundant. 
Pears,  apples,  and  grapes  are  grown  and  produce  fruit 
of  excellent  quality.  Corn,  wheat  and  other  small  grain, 
and  vegetables  in  great  variety  are  cultivated  with  sat- 
isfactory results. 

The  state  has  numerous  haciendas  of  great  extent  and 
a  large  number  of  farms  and  ranches.  The  grazing  lands 
are'  favorably  adapted  to  live  stock,  and  horses,  mules, 
sheep  and  goats  thrive  on  its  mountainous  pastures. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  state  is  so  great  that  it 
ranks  among  the  first  in  the  Republic,  although  all  of  the 
mines  have  been  worked  at  a  great  disadvantage,  and 


312  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

many,  for  various  reasons,  were  abandoned.  Some  of 
them  are  very  rich  in  precious  metals  and  they  also  pro- 
duced all  of  the  baser  kinds,  but  it  does  not  appear  that 
many  of  them  were  very  profitable. 


DURANGO 

This  state  lies  in  a  northwest  direction  from  the  City 
of  Mexico,  and  it  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Chihuahua ; 
on  the  east  by  Coahuila  and  Zacatecas ;  on  the  south  by 
Jalisco ;  and  on  the  west  by  Sinaloa,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  the  Sierra  Madre  range  that  sends  out  spurs 
of  high  mountains  which  also  divide  the  state.  It  has 
an  area  of  42,510  square  miles,  and  the  census  of  1900 
gave  it  200,000  population.  The  climate  on  an  average 
is  temperate,  but  it  varies  with  the  altitude. 

The  city  of  Durango  is  the  capital  of  the  state,  and 
when  I  knew  it  in  1872  it  had  about  28,000  inhabitants. 
The  government  buildings  are  similar  to  those  in  other 
state  capitals,  and  it  also  had  a  mint,  three  or  four 
churches,  a  fine  hospital,  a  theater,  a  place  for  bull-fight- 
ing, etc.  The  place  was  of  considerable  prominence  as 
a  commercial  center,  although  it  had  only  a  few  in- 
dustries, and  all  the  freight  to  and  from  the  place  was 
hauled  on  wagons,  etc. 

I  suppose  since  the  Mexican  National  Railroad  was 
completed  from  C.  P.  Diaz  to  that  point,  and  beyond 
to  Tepehuanes,  that  the  city  has  been  greatly  improved. 
It  only  needed  transportation  facilities  to  make  it  one  of 
the  most  important  cities  in  the  Republic,  and  when  the 
road  is  completed  to  its  destination  on  the  Gulf  of  Cali- 
fornia, its  ocean  outlet  and  connections  with  all  the  rail- 
road systems  in  the  country,  the  benefits  the  city  will 
receive  cannot  be  overestimated. 

The  state  is  known  to  be  rich  in  minerals  of  all  kinds, 
but  the  mines  have  only  been  developed  successfully  in 
recent  years.  Its  gold  and  silver  mines  were  worked 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  313 

profitably  until  they  were  abandoned  on  account  of  In- 
dian incursions  and  civil  wars.  Valuable  mines  of 
copper,  lead,  and  other  metals  have  been  discovered,  and 
the  inexhaustible  iron  mountain,  known  as  Cerro  del 
Mercado,  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  richest  deposits  of  iron 
ore  on  the  American  continent.  Movements  have  been 
recently  made  towards  utilizing  the  ore  by  establishing 
one  of  the  largest  steel  plants  in  the  country. 

The  principal  river  is  the  Rio  del  Nazas,  that  runs 
through  the  state  one  hundred  and  fifty  American  miles, 
and  on  both  sides  of  its  wide  valley  are  many  beautiful 
haciendas  and  plantations  that  produce  every  variety  of 
grain  and  other  agricultural  products  adapted  to  that 
region.  The  Rio  del  Tunal  and  El  Reno  de  las  Palmas 
also  have  large  valleys  of  tillable  land  through  which  they 
flow.  These  and  other  streams  afford  an  abundance  of 
water  for  irrigating  purposes  and  the  cultivable  land  in 
the  state  is  capable  of  sustaining  a  large  population. 
Live  stock  of  all  kinds  do  well,  and  there  are  many  large 
ranches  devoted  to  the  raising  of  cattle,  horses,  sheep  and 
goats. 


APPENDIX 

NAMES    OF   MAYORS   AND    ALDERMEN 

OF    THE 
CITY   OF    SAN    ANTONIO,    TEXAS 

From  its  incorporation,  June,  1837,  to  the  present  time. 

The  sign  *  precedes  names  of  Aldermen  who  did  not  serve  entire 
term. 
The  sign  f  precedes  names  of  Aldermen  elected  to  fill  vacancy. 

September  19,  183T,  to  March  9,  1838. 

Mayor.    John  W.  Smith. 

Aldermen.  Manuel  Martinez,  Francisco  Bustillo,  Ramon  Trevino, 
Pedro  Flores  Morales,  Gabriel  Arreola,  Rafael  Herrera,  Francisco 
Grenado,  Francisco  A.  Ruiz. 

March  9,  1838,  to  July  20,  1838. 

Mayor.  William  H.  Dangerfield,  and  from  July  20,  1838,  to  Jan- 
uary 8,  1839,  Antonio  Menchaca,  pro  tern. 

Aldermen.  Antonio  Menchaca,  W.  E.  Houth,  Jose  Flores,  Rafael 
Garza,  Manuel  Yturri,  Leander  Arreola,  Ambrosio  Rodriguez, 
Manuel  Ximenes. 

January  8,  1839,  to  January  8,  1840. 

Mayor.    S.  A.  Maverick. 

Aldermen.  Jose  Cassiano,  Vicente  Garza,  Francisco  A.  Ruiz, 
Domingo  Bastillo,  John  W.  Smith,  Manuel  Perez,  George  Dolson, 
Luciano  Navarro. 

January  8,  1840,  to  January  9,  1841. 

Mayor.    John  W.  Smith. 

Aldermen.  Cornelius  Van  Ness,  George  Blow,  Francisco  A.  Ruiz, 
Jose  A.  Navarro,  Miguel  Arcienega,  Manuel  Perez,  John  McMullen, 
Ambrosio  Rodriguez. 

January  9,  1841,  to  April  18,  184Sf. 

Mayor.  Juan  N.  Seguin;  and  from  August  17,  1841,  to  Sep- 
tember 7,  1841,  Francis  Guilbeau,  pro  tern. 

314 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  315 

Aldermen.  Man'l.  Perez,  Marcus  A.  Veramendi,  Pedro  Flores, 
Antonio  Menchaca,  Jose  Cassiano,  Juan  A.  Urutia,  L.  Smithers, 
Bryan  Callaghan,  Jose  M.  Flores,  Francis  Guilbeau,  John  R.  Black, 
Diego  A.  Taylor,  Francisco  Bustillo,  Antonio  Lockmar,  J.  L.  True- 
heart,  Augustin  Barrera. 

April  18,  1842,  to  March  30,  1844. 
Mayor.    John  W.  Smith. 

Aldermen.  J.  McMullen,  Rafael  Garza,  B.  Callaghan,  S.  A.  Mave- 
rick, E.  Dwyer,  J.  A.  Urutia,  C.  Rivas,  B.  Bradley. 

March  30,  1844,  to  February  18,  1845. 

Mayor.     Edward  Dwyer. 

Aldermen.  Rafael  Garza,  Ambrosio  Rodriguez,  Jose  M.  Flores, 
Robert  Lindsay,  Juan  A.  Urutia,  Antonio  Menchaca,  James  Good- 
man, Thomas  Whitehead. 

February  18,  1845,  to  January  1,  1846. 

Mayor.     Edward  Dwyer. 

Aldermen.  Ygnacio  Chavez,  J.  B.  Lee,  Augustin  Barrera,  Jose 
Cassiano,  C.  Rivas,  Francisco  Bustillo,  Thomas  Whitehead,  Am- 
brosio Rodriguez. 

January  1,  1846,  to  January  1,  1847. 

Mayor.    Bryan  Callaghan.     *C.  F.  King,  pro  tern. 

Alderman.  George  Van  Ness,  J.  A.  Urutia,  Charles  F.  King, 
Pedros,  A.  J.  McClelland,  M.  A.  Veramendi,  William  B.  Jaques, 
Antonio  Rodriguez. 

January  1,  1847,  to  January  1,  1848. 

Mayor.  Charles  F.  King,  *and  from  January  27,  1847,  to  Janu- 
ary 1,  1848,  S.  S.  Smith,  pro  tern. 

Aldermen.  W.  G.  Crump,  S.  S.  Smith,  M.  Trumble,  J.  A.  Urutia, 
A.  Rodriguez,  O.  B.  Brackett,  R.  Herrera,  Ygnacio  Chavez. 

January  1,  1848,  to  January  1,  1849. 

Mayor.  Charles  F.  King,  *and  from  April  3,  1848,  to  January  1, 
1849,  S.  S.  Smith,  pro  tern. 

Aldermen.  S.  S.  Smith,  A.  Menchaca,  J.  N.  Fisk,  A.  H.  Martin, 
Bryan  Callaghan,  A.  Rodriguez,  J.  A.  Urutia,  R.  W.  Peacock. 

Janury  1,  1849,  to  January  1,  1850. 
Mayor.    J.  M.  Devine. 
Aldermen.     S.  S.  Smith,  Bryan  Callaghan,  J.  N.  Menchaca,  N. 


316  A   TEXAS   PIONEER 

Lardner,  Luciano  Navarro,  J.  N.  Fisk,  Jose  A.  Urutia,  Win.  Lytle, 
G.  T.  Howard,  J.  D.  Groesbeeck,  J.  H.  Beck. 

January  1,  1850,  to  January  1,  1851. 
Mayor.     J.  M.  Devine. 

Aldermen.  Chas.  Hummel,  S.  A.  Maverick,  S.  S.  Smith,  Wm. 
Lytle,  O.  Evans,  J.  A.  Urutia,  G.  L.  Paschal,  A.  A.  Lockwood. 

January  1,  1851,  to  January  1,  1852. 
Mayor.    J.  S.  McDonald. 

Aldermen.  S.  A.  Maverick,  J.  H.  Lyons,  J.  A.  Urutia,  John 
Vance,  G.  L.  Paschal,  George  Cupples,  F.  Giraud,  J.  D.  McLeod. 

January  1,  1852,  to  January  1,  1853. 

Mayor.     C.  F.  King. 

Aldermen.  A.  A.  Lockwood,  Peter  Odet,  M.  G.  Cotton,  Rafael 
Herrera,  H.  D.  Stumburg,  James  R.  Sweet,  H.  Huffmeyer,  J.  A. 
Urutia,  J.  S.  McClellan. 

January  1,  1853,  to  January  1,  1854. 

Mayor.    J.  M.  Devine. 

Aldermen.  A.  A.  Lockwood,  C.  N.  Riotte,  M.  Lopez,  H.  Huff- 
meyer, F.  Herff,  B.  Callaghan,  J.  B.  Lacoste,  A.  Navarro,  J.  R. 
Sweet,  Charles  Hummel,  G.  M.  Martin. 

January  1,  1854,  to  January  1,  1855. 

Mayor.    John  M.  Carolan. 

Aldermen.  C.  F.  King,  F.  Guilbeau,  J.  A.  Urutia,  J.  A.  Navarro, 
J.  M.  West,  H.  F.  Oswarl,  J.  Hackett,  J.  Ulrich,  August  Selling^ 
sloh,  B.  Brady. 

January  1,  1855,  to  January  1,  1856. 

Mayor.    James    R.    Sweet. 

Aldermen.  C.  F.  King,  A.  W.  Desmuke,  Asa  Mitchell,  J.  S.  Mc- 
Donald, J.  G.  Viall,  B.  E.  Edwards,  A.'  Deffenbaugh,  B.  R.  Sapping- 
ton,  J.  D.  Groesbeeck. 

January  1,  1856,  to  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1857. 

Mayor.    J.   M.  Devine. 

Aldermen.  G.  T.  Howard,  A.  Nette,  G.  Soto,  I.  A.  Paschal,  S.  S. 
Smith,  G.  P.  Post,  F.  Giraud,  D.  C.  Alexander,  John  Fries,  E.  G. 
Houston,  N.  A.  Mitchell,  L.  Zork. 

January  1,  1857,  to  June  30,  1857. 
Mayor.      J.  M.  Devine.  . 


A   TEXAS   PIONEER  317 

June  5,   1857,   to  June   30,   1857. 
Mayor.  J.  H.  Beck,  pro  tern. 

July  1,  1857,  to  January  1,  1858. 

Mayor.     A.   A.   Lockwood. 

Aldermen.  D.  C.  Alexander,  W.  B.  Knox,  Jose  Rodriguez,  J.  G. 
Gardner,  W.  Aj  Menger,  Owen  Clark,  David  Russi,  W.  W.  Camp- 
bell, J.  A.  Urutia,  J.  H.  Beck,  N.  Lardner,  S.  W.  McAllister,  George 
Horner. 

January   1,   1858,  to  January  1,   1859. 

Mayor.     A.  A.  Lockwood.' 

Aldermen.  J.  E.  Gardner,  J.  M.  Chaves,  John  Sturm,  W.  A.  Men- 
ger, D.  Russi,  J.  Earl,  J.  M.  Penaloza,  M.  G.  Cotton,  H.  Canter- 
bury, G.  Thiesen,  C.  Byrn. 

January  1,  1859,  to  January  1,   1860. 
Mayor.    James  R.  Sweet. 

Aldermen.  G.  Persh,  W.  W.  Campbell,  H.  D.  Stumburg,  W.  C. 
Tynan,  C.  Byrn,  L.  M.  Penaloza,  D.  Russi,  M.  G.  Cotton. 

January  1,   1860,   to  January   1,   1861. 
Mayor.      James  R.  Sweet. 

Aldermen.  M.  H.  Campbell,  D.  Russi,  Wm.  Vance,  Thos.  H.  Strib- 
ling,  G.  Persh,  H.  D.  Stumburg,  W.  C.  Tynan,  W.  W.  Campbell. 

January  1,  1861,  to  January  1,  1862. 

Mayor.    James    R.    Sweet. 

Aldermen.  E.  Braden,  F.  Galan,  C.  F.  Fisher,  J.  Hoyer,  D.  Russi, 
J.  M.  Fenaloza,  Wm.  Vance,  Thos.  H.  Strebling,  P.  L.  Buquor, 
G.  C.  Patching,  E.  A.  Florian. 

January   1,   1862,  to   January   1,   1863. 

Mayor.  James  R.  Sweet,  *from  January  1,  1862,  to  May  26, 
1862. 

Mayor.     S.  A.  Maverick,  from  May  26,  to  January  1,  1863. 

Aldermen.  E.  P.  Alsbury,  D.  Russi,  F.  Schreiner,  G.  A.  Patching, 
E.  A.  Florian,  E.  Hickman,  A.  Sartor,  E.  Braden,  C.  F.  Fisher, 
Chas.  Hummel,  G.  Persch. 

January  1,  1863,  to  January  1,  1864. 

Mayor.     P.  L.  Buquor. 

Aldermen.  F.  Cassiano,  Jose  Martinez,  C.  E.  Fisher,  E.  A.  Flor- 
ian, C.  Hummel,  E.  Hickman,  G.  C.  Patching,  A.  Sartor,  E.  Dewey, 
S.  Sampson,  E.  Miles. 


318  A    TEXAS    PIONEER 

January  1,  1864,  to  January  1,  1865. 
Mayor.     P.  L.  Buquor. 

Aldermen.  E.  Braden,  E.  Hickman,  A.  Moye,  E.  Schenck,  W.  B. 
Jaques,  S.  S.  Robinson,  C.  F.  Fisher,  F.  Cassiano,  Jose  Martinez. 

January  1,  1865,  to   October  1,   1865. 

Mayor.    J.  H.  Lyons  to  August  15,  1865. 

Mayor.  C.  F.  Fisher,  pro  tern,  from  August  15  to  October  9, 
1865.  | 

Aldermen.  F.  Cassiano,  D.  Russi,  C.  F.  Fisher,  S.  W.  McAllis- 
ter, W.  B.  Jaques,  A.  Moye,  E.  Braden,  F.  Schenck. 

October  9,  1865,  to  August  23,  1866. 
Mayor.     D.  Cleveland. 

Aldermen.  H.  D.  Stumberg,  M.  H.  Campbell,  F.  W.  Poppey,  C. 
F.  Kaiserling,  P.  Shiner,  G.  Persch,  C.  Seabaugh,  F.  Schreiner. 

August  24,  1866,  to  December  31,  1866. 
Mayor.     J.  H.  Lyons. 

Aldermen.  J.  F.  Cassiano,  W.  B.  Jaques,  Ed.  Braden,  S.  W.  Mc- 
Allister, A.  Moye,  D.  Russi,  C.  F.  Fisher,  C.  E.  Jefferson. 

January  1,  186T,  to  November  8,  1867. 
Mayor.      J.  H.  Lyons. 

Aldermen.  M.  Yturri,  A.  M.  Ruiz,  D.  Russi,  S.  S.  Smith,  F.  Won- 
derschack,  C.  F.  Fisher,  A.  Sartor,  S.  W.  McAllister. 

November  8,  1867,  to  March  £8,  1870. 

Mayor.     W.  C.  A.  Thielepape. 

Aldermen.  A.  Sartor,  C.  F.  Disher,  E.  Pentenreider,  J.  M.  Chanez, 
Frank  Rose,  J.  P.  Newcomb,  P.  H.  Braunback,  Thos.  Hertzberg, 
V.  Lieffering,  C.  G.  Artzt,  A.  Dillon,  F.  Groos,  A.  Bucchette,  James 
Callaghan,  R.  C.  Norton. 

March  28,  1870,  to  November  12,  1872. 

Mayor.  W.  C.  A.  Thielepape  from  March  28,  1870,  to  March  12, 
1872. 

Mayor.     S.  G.  Newton  from  March  13,  1872,  to  November  12,  1872. 

Aldermen.  E.  Pentenreider,  James  Callaghan,  F.  Groos,  W.  W. 
Gamble,  D.  Bell,  C.  Elmendarf,  J.  P.  Newcomb,  R.  C.  Norton,  F. 
Guilbeau,  F.  Schreiner,  J.  W.  Mozee,  J.  A.  Duerler,  Jose  Flores,  Ed. 
Steves,  J.  H.  Kampmann,  C.  L.  Probandt,  N.  Lewis,  E.  Cole,  Wil- 
liam Reed. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  319 

November  13,  1872,  to  January  13,  1873. 
Mayor.      F.  Giraud. 

Aldermen.  J.  Sweeney,  H.  Collman,  F.  Kalteyer,  S.  S.  Smith, 
C.  F.  Fisher,  H.  W.  Tong,  A.  Michel,  C.  J.  Hupperts. 

January  14,  1873,  to  January  19,  1875. 

Mayor.    F.  Giraud. 

Aldermen.  J.  Sweeney,  T.  T.  Teel,  S.  S.  Smith,  Frank  Rose,  C.  F. 
Fisher,  Louis  Briam,  F.  Groos,  F.  Schreiner,  J.  H.  Kampmann, 
Phil.  Shardein. 

January  19,  1875,  to  January  19,  1877. 

Mayor.    James  H.  French. 

Aldermen.  J.  Sweeney,  G.  R.  Dashiell,  T.  T.  Teel,  P.  Scheiner, 
S.  S.  Smith,  F.  Schreiner,  E.  J.  Chavez,  F.  D.  Faville,  E.  Degener, 
W.  Frescott,  F.  Hahn,  S.  W.  McAllister,  T.  Kiolbassta,  M.  Muench, 
A.  F.  Wulff. 

January  19,  1877,  to  January  25,  1879. 

Mayor.    James  H.  French. 

Aldermen.  T.  T.  Teel,  P.  Scheiner,  F.  G.  Smith,  John  Monier, 
F.  D.  Faville,  F.  Schreiner,  F.  Hahn,  E.  Degener,  W.  Prescott, 
M.  Muench,  A.  F.  Wulff,  G.  Hoerner. 

January  25,  1879,  to  January  #5,  1881. 

Mayor.    James  H.  French. 

Aldermen.  L.  Bergstrom,  *A.  Bruni,  B.  Callagham,  E.  Froboese, 
J.  P.  Newcomb,  F.  Schreiner,  R.  Wulfing,  *W.  Prescott,  P.  Jonas, 
A.  I.  Lockwood,  W.  H.  Maverick,  George  Homer,  *W.  Heuermann, 
M.  Muench,  Edward  Steves. 

January  25,  1881,  to  January  25,  1883. 

Mayor.    James  H.  French. 

Aldermen.  *L.  Berg,  A.  Bruni,  Geo.  Caldwell,  B.  Callaghan, 
H.  L.  Degener,  Win.  Heuermann,  P.  Jonas,  A.  I.  Lockwood,  E. 
Niggli,  F.  Schreiner,  E.  Steves,  R.  Wulfing,  fM.  C.  Shiner. 

January  25,  1883,  to  February  1,  1885. 

Mayor.      James  H.  French. 

Aldermen.  Eli  Arnaud,  *J.  N.  Gallagher,  *Jos.  E.  Dwyer, 
August  Belknap,  F.  Schreiner,  W.  R.  Story,  J.  H.  Bolton,  J.  T. 
Hambleton,  A.  I.  Lockwood,  H.  Pauly,  C.  A.  Richter,  J.  H.  Smye, 
fJuan  T.  Cardenas,  fJ.  N.  Gallagher. 


320  A   TEXAS    PIONEER 

February  1,  1885,  to  February  1,  1887. 

Mayor.      Bryan  Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  T.  E.  Conner,  J.  N.  Gallagher,  *Juan  Cardenas,  J.  H. 
French,  F.  Schreiner,  A.  Belknap,  A.  I.  Lockwood,  J.  T.  Hamble- 
ton,  *J.  H.  Bolton,  *Henry  Pauly,  *Martin  Muench,  J.  H.  Smye, 
fM.  F.  Corbett,  fN.  Mackey,  fHans  L.  Degener,  fL«  Bergstrom, 
fS.  W.  McAUister. 

February  28,  1887,  to  February  28,  1889. 

Mayor.     Bryan  Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  *A.  Belknap,  Fritz  Schreiner,  Dan  Lewis,  J.  N.  Gal- 
lagher, fJ.  H.  Schaefer,  fJ-  H.  Presnall,  C.  Guerguin,  T.  E.  Conner, 
E.  L.  Richey,  Geo.  H.  Kalteyer,  H.  L.  Degener,  Gus  Mauermann, 
G.  A.  Reiman,  *J.  H.  Smye. 

February  28,  1889,  to  February  28,  1891. 

Mayor.     Bryan    Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  A.  I.  Lockwood,  Henry  Fest,  A.  F.  Wulff,  John  H. 
Bolton,  Charles  Guerguin,  T.  E.  Conner,  Jacob  Weber,  Geo.  H. 
Kalteyer,  Joseph  Boelhauwe,  F.  F.  Rogers,  Gus  A.  Reimann,  Alex 
Sartor. 

February,  1891,  to  February,  1893. 

Mayor.      Bryan    Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  A.  I.  Lockwood,  F.  Schreiner,  *M.  F.  Corbett,  fW.  S. 
Anderson,  L.  M.  Gregory,  C.  Guerguin,  T.  E.  Conner,  Jacob  Weber, 
*Aug.  Santleben,  Jos.  Boelhauwe,  *H.  W.  Bitter,  Albert  Persch, 
Albert  Backmann,  ^Thos.  E.  Dougherty,  fW.  Muth. 

February,  1893,  to  February,  1895. 

Mayor.     George  Paschal. 

Aldermen.  Chas.  Schreiner,  W.  S.  Smith,  *C.  B.  Hill,  G.  W.  Russ, 
*S.  G.  Newton,  Jas.  H.  French,  Wm.  Hoefling,  H.  Limburger,  J.  A. 
Daugherty,  Albert  Beckmann,  H.  Eltnendorf,  N.  Mackey,  Joe 
Beckmann,  Erich  Menger,  *John  W.  Tobin. 

February,  1895,  to  February,  1897. 

Mayor.      Hy.    Elmendorf. 

Aldermen.  F.  Guerguin,  Aug.  Robin,  Erich  Menger,  Jos.  P. 
Devine,  Wm.  Hoefling,  C.  Fahey,  Ad.  Dreiss,  A.  F.  Beckmann,  W.  C> 
Robards,  N.  Mackey,  Louis  Oge,  W.  Holt. 

February,  1897,  to  February,  1899. 
Mayor.    Bryan  Callaghan. 
Aldermen.    G.  A.  Duerler,  B.  J.  Mauermann,  J.  N.  Rome,  W.  B. 


A   TEXAS    PIONEER  321 

Hamilton,  Lee  Kilgore,  W.  L.  Richter,  Geo.  Surkey,  Marshall  Hicks, 
L.  Mahncke,  John  Miller,  C.  A.  Denny,  W.  W.  Johnson. 

February,  1899,  to  February,  1901. 

Mayor.     Marshall  Hicks. 

Aldermen.  L.  Mahncke,  F.  A.  Piper,  Geo.  Surkey,  T.  E.  Mumme, 
J.  K.  Lamm,  W.  L.  Richter,  J.  A.  O'Connor,  R.  F.  Alexander,  Aug. 
Thiele,  Wm.  Davis,  W.  L.  Barker,  A.  P.  Rheiner. 

February,  1901,  to  February,  1903. 

Mayor.     Marshall  Hicks   (Elected  to  State  Senate  October,  1902). 

Mayor.    Dr.  Frederick  Terrell  (Elected  to  fill  vacancy). 

Aldermen.  W.  L.  Barker,  Aug.  Lewy,  J.  F.  Hickman,  Walton 
Peteet,  J.  K.  Lamm,  W.  L.  Richter,  J.  A.  O'Connor,  R.  F.  Alexander, 
Fred  Terrell,  A.  Seidel,  Frank  Weber,  A.  P.  Rheiner. 

February,  1903,  to  May,  1905. 

Mayor.     J.  P.  Campbell. 

Aldermen.  W.  L.  Barker,  V.  P.  Brown,  W.  L.  Richter,  N.  T. 
Wilson,  J.  R.  Lambert,  J.  D.  Seamands,  Rud.  Krisch,  J.  H.  Kirk- 
patrick,  J.  F.  Fentiman,  H.  B.  Salliway,  F.  M.  Gloeckner,  Ed.  Steves. 

May,  1905,  to  May,  1907. 
Mayor.        Bryan  Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  W.  L.  Richter,  B.  J.  Mauermann,  John  Bauer,  J.  T. 
Hambleton,  J.  R.  Lambert,  Eli  Arnaud,  E.  Menger,  M.  A.  Davis» 
A.  I.  Lockwood,  C.  S.  Robinson,  Ed.  Braden,  E.  A.  Kuehn. 

May,  190T,  to  May,  1909. 
Mayor.     Bryan  Callaghan. 

Aldermen.  B.  J.  Mauermann,  W.  J.  Richter,  *John  Bauer,  fErnst 
Dietzmann,  J.  T.  Hambleton,  J.  R.  Lambert,  E.  Arnaud,  E  ^Menger, 
*L.  C.  Thompson,  fC.  C.  Smith,  A.  I.  Lockwood,  K.  J.  CareyriBtt? 
Braden,  E.  A.  Kuehn. 


